The Truth of Beauty
by Kittey Rin
Summary: You've heard the story of Beauty and the Beast. Enough said, right? Now, I think it is time that I told my story. In my own twisted, special way of telling things. IYYYH xover IF series YouKag [Fin]
1. Chapter I

A/N: I've had this idea in my head for a little bit, and I just needed to write today. I really can't think of anything else to do for my other story I'm working on, ACE, and so I just decided to try this.

Okay, so. This story is based off of some strange, warped idea I got while watching Disney's Beauty and the Beast recently. Right, a few things you should know.

1) I have no idea when the next update will be. As far as priorities go, ACE comes first. I really didn't want to start anything before I finished ACE, but I needed to write _something. _Besides, ACE was giving me a hard time.

2) This story starts out first person POV, then moves to third. Just in case it confuses you.

3) Any more questions about this, just review. In fact, I'd like people's opinions on this story anyway. I really don't know if I should keep it up, and feedback would help my decision.

Now, for the other stuff I need to take care of. Like the disclaimer.

**Disclaimer for the entire story: I do not own anything from Disney, Rumiko Takahashi, or Yoshihiro** **Togashi, including ideas, people, places and anything else I'm missing. This is the only time I will say it, because I tend to forget this sort of thing.**

Also, this WILL be a crossover. I just ask you to be patient in the characters appearing. Don't expect to see any Yuyu Hakusho characters until later in the storyline. I'll tell you right now that there will, unless I have a change of heart, be NO Yuyu people in the village. So don't complain.

It is also a Youko/Kagome pair, for those who are curious. Okay, so enough rambling! Let's get this story started.

Edit Note (4.24.06): This story is NOT in first person! The first bit just sets up the story and gives a little foreshadowing. Please, give it a chance. Or, if you are totally against first person, then skip to the non-italicized part. Thank you.

Edit Note 2 (4.24.06): This is now part of my Interpreted Fairytales series.

_

* * *

You've heard the story of Beauty and the Beast. An old french fairytale. One of learning to love someone for who they are on the inside and not the outside. A story of hope, passion and magic._

_Right._

_Forgive me, but as I write down my thoughts, I can't help but shake my head and sigh. How, oh, how did my story get so distorted? I mean, okay, so they didn't know half of what really went on in the castle over the hill, but this is ridiculous._

_Oh, pardon me. I should probably fill you in on what all of this means. If you are reading this, right now you should be thoroughly confused, right?_

_Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kagome Higurashii. I am an old woman now, not like I was back then. I'm wrinkled and pale with age, both my face and my hair. How hair can be wrinkled is beyond me, but now I'm getting off subject. Ahem. With my age, I've got everything to go with it. Aching bones that tell me when a particularily bad storm is about to hit, shaking legs that need the aid of a walking stick in order to get from one room of my small cottage to another._

_Hard to believe that this old, withered vessel used to be called the Belle of the town, eh?_

_Well, at least, it is for me. Ah, I can remember the good old days when I used to be able to skip across my father's flower fields in the back of our four room farm house. I still remember having that lush head of black hair, dark enough to contest even the blackest of nights. I had darker skin back then, too. My old sack of skin gets burned easily nowadays. Oh, how I miss being able to run in the sunlight, not worrying if I stayed out too long or not._

_Alas, time is a fickle thing. About the only thing that has stayed the same are my muddy eyes._

_At least, mostly the same. Ah, my eyes have seen too much to be the same innocent orbs they were back then. Of course, as a sixteen year old beauty, my life had been sheltered. Ah, yes, ignorance is bliss, they say. Heh. I was so ignorant back then that I was ecstatic._

_Okay, well, now I'm just rambling. That's right, the reason I had started all this. By now, I hope I haven't lost your attention completely and forced you to put this beautiful book back onto the shelf. If you have, that's your loss. And mine, too, now that I think of it._

_Alright. So, now what? Well, I started writing for a reason. I want to tell people my story, the story that isn't full of songs and talking teapots, musical dancing and barking footstools. Oh, I saw my share of magic. Just not that...odd._

_Besides, they didn't even get half of the facts right. Sure, I had a father. I also had a brother. It seems that many people seemed to have forgotten him, and replaced all that he did to help me with my not-so-adventurous father. I also recall having two suitors, not one, and also I remember there were only two women chasing the both of them. As to riding a horse that, miraculously, finds it's way all the way back home without once getting caught, killed, or side-tracked, I almost wish that was something that actually happened.  
_

_Hm. I seem to be wasting a good deal of paper in my introduction. Which means that I should probably wrap it up quickly, then. Let's see, what else should I say?_

_I know. Alright, as I write, I will tell nothing but the absolute truth. I never liked to lie, and the few times I did, I felt uneasy and guilty about it. Also, since I will be telling the truth, I can't garuntee that it'll be all nice and sweet. There will be blood, as much as I can remember, that is, and swearing enough to make even the hardiest of seamen blush. Most of that is due to the fair people of Tamashii castle, but I remember doing my own share of things._

_Alright. Enough said, right? Now, I think it is time that I told my story. In my own twisted, special way of telling things.  
_

_Ladies and gentlemen, I, Kagome Higurashii, am proud to relate to you, the _true _story of Beauty and the Beast._

_

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_A warm spring day greeted the sunlight. The rays of light peered slowly over the treetops, chasing away a mist that had collected hours before. Birds ruffled their feathers and began to call to each other in sweet, melodic tones. Somewhere a mule bayed in a drowsy voice from being awakened out of it's peaceful slumber. Crickets wound down their concert and hopped off to find a new audience. Cats mewed from the front porch steps and pawed at the door of a small farming cottage. The wind-bleached wooden door stood unyeilding to the feline's demands. Horses trotted in and out of their loose boxes and the pasture, kicking up clods of grass and shaking their heads at the antics of the other residents.

Inside, the sun greeted a dark room through wooden shutters. A soft breeze pushed its way forcefully into the room, fluttering the bedcovers of the occupants bed. A small groan punctuated the silence of the room. A small form shifted under the blankets, turning from the sunlight to face a whitewashed wall, the bed protesting the movement. A simple bed, naturally, to match the simple stool and simple trunk that also graced the room.

A hasty knock broke the serene atmosphere. When no one answered, the old door unlatched and revealed the messenger. A young boy of ten winters held onto the door handle. His black, sleep-ruffled hair refused to lay flat against his skull. His nightshirt was little better. Rubbing sleepy brown eyes, the lanky youngster trotted over to the bed with a yawn. "Oi, sis," the young boy spoke, his sweet alto voice sounding out of place in the quiet darkness, "Dad sayin' yeh need t' get up now."

There was a slight movement in response, then the blankets shrunk as the owner of the room curled into a protective ball. "Go 'way, Souta. 'M sleepin'," a young woman mumbeled.

Shaking his head, the younger sibling turned heel and walked to the window. Throwing the shutters open, he breathed in the fresh morning air. "C'mon, 't's a new day. Dad says 'tis Market day 'nd yer gettin' t' take meh." No response. Shaking his head for his sister's morning attitude, he strode back to the bed. "Up an' at 'em!" he shouted at the sleeping form. Grabbing a fistful of material, he yanked the covers back to reveal his curled up sister.

The chill air made her shiver. Her knotted raven-black hair shifted with her as she sat up slowly. Looking around with a partially sleep-fogged mind, she blinked blearily. "Mhn?" Shaking her head, she sat up straighter and yawned. Her tangeled nightgown pulled at her torso and chest as she stretched, slowly and appreciatively. Brown eyes cleared themselves from the last dregs of sleep and met another, almost identical, pair.

Souta, youngest of two, laughed at his sister's appearence. "Ye look like Buyo afore we clip 'im."

The young woman glared. "That's not very nice, you know. How are you ever going to get a girlfriend with that attitude, brother dear?" Standing, and wincing as blood began to flow back to her legs, she strode to a small table, half-forgotten in the corner. A small blue book lay upside down, marking the page where the reader had left off the night before.

Souta eyed the book dubiously. "Dun tell meh; yeh stayed up readin' yer book all nigh'?" The young boy was met with a glare. "Kag'me, ye know ye shudden' read. What'll th' vill'gers be thinkin'? 'Tis not right fer no woman t' read!"

Kagome, picking up the book and closing it, _tsk_-ed. "How many times do I have to tell you? I don't care what the villagers think. If I have to give up something that I love to do for the sake of fitting in, then dammit, I'll stand out." She opened her trunk and placed the book just inside, next to a pile of brown skirts. "Besides, it's fun to read. I don't know why you don't like it," she told her brother in a scolding tone.

"Dunno why ye _do,_" he retorted. Ducking a shirt thrown his direction, he quickly fled the room and left his sister to dress for the day.

* * *

Souta sat at a small, round table in what was declared as the kitchen. His rickety chair squealed with each movement as he fidgeted impatiently. Now sporting a pair of homespun brown breeches, undyed cotton shirt and leather vest, he was much more comfortable. However, that still didn't excuse the fact that his dear sweet sister was taking her time with dressing. Perhaps she had gotton stuck tying her bodice, or misplaced a stocking? He laughed at the thought. After all, his sister had had no help dressing herself for a good six years. More than likely, she was reading. Again. 

As if his thoughts were a call, Kagome walked into the room. Her shirt shifted with each movement as she went over to a small fireplace. Snagging a bowl from a shelf nearby, she rolled up her blouse sleeves and served herself some porridge from a pot overhanging the fireplace. The fire underneath crackled lazily at her as she straightened herself and made her way to the table. Setting the bowl down, she took a chair and began to cautiosly spoon her meal into an awaiting mouth.

She looked over to her brother. "Oh, be patient," she said between mouthfuls of the almost scalding breakfast. "You can wait for me to break my fast quietly, or I'm not taking you with me."

Just as Souta was about to retort, a voice interrupted him. "Ye'll not be takin' tha' tone with yer brother, ye hear?" Kagome sat up straighter and Souta snapped his mouth shut as a slightly overweight and balding man entered from the front door of the cottage. Rubbing the crown of his head, a small patch where his white hair didn't quite cover his reddened skin, he stomped inside and set down the hand ax he had been carrying right inside the door.

"Yes, papa." Kagome bowed her head obediently, holding the retort she wanted to let out. When she looked up, her brother had a smug look on his face and Kagome clenched her hands.

Their father took his own seat at the table, fully taking up one side of the area. His strong arms reached across the table and snagged the bowl that sat in front of Kagome. "Jus' fer tha', ye cun leave now."

Kagome clenched her teeth and stood. The chair scraped against the floor, and she covered the anger on her face by straightening her leather bodice. Her father gave her a look, which was pointedly ignored, and Kagome addressed her brother. "I'll get my basket, and we can go."

Walking back past the front door and the fireplace, Kagome resisted the urge to throw open her bedroom door. How come her brother won all the time? It wasn't fair. Kagome worked harder than both of them, balancing the household chores with farmwork. She even had the proof of how much she did around here. With all of the labor she did on a regular basis, she had well developed arm and leg muscles. Hell, she even found time to read with her busy schedule! That was more than she could say for her illiterate family members.

Snagging a wicker basket that sat on her stool, she made sure her book was well covered with the woolen cloth she carried with it. If her dear father caught her with another book from the town bookstore owner... She shuddered to think of what her punishment would be. Alas, she was a woman. And as such, she had little to no say in anything. At all. Ever.

Resigning herself to whatever fate had in store for her, Kagome hurried outside to make her way to the market.

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End Chapter

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Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please review! 


	2. Chapter II

A/N: I finished my other story chapter and still wanted to write, so here's another one of these. I'm happy that I actually got two reviewers. I wasn't expecting anyone to review so soon. I mean, so far this isn't really a crossover yet. Who am I kidding, I actually thought that nobody would like this story. So, for my first two reviewers, you get cookies and an answer!

April-nee-chan: It was a cliffy? I never knew. Well, you were one of my first reviewers, so have a cookie!

regretfully-yours-Cassy-chan: I'm wondering if this is soon enough for you. How about a cookie for your review?

There was a couple other things that I'm going to say before the chapter. If anyone actually reads my A/N's.

1) I have decided to make my chapters as long as humanly possible and still have a life. That means that I plan to make each and every chapter well over 2000 words, hopefully with a minimum of 2500. Alas, no garuntees. No doubt there will be times when I have shorter chapters (though I hope not!) and others where my chapters will be novels in and of themselves (I really hope so!).

2) I need a little bit of help. Almost everyone knows the story of Beauty and the Beast. If you don't, and you're reading my story, then don't read this next part. Okay, so the beast gets stabbed by Gaston in the movie, right? Well, since my story has the equivalent of two Gaston's, I need to know which one will be the more violent. So, who does the stabbing? The two are towards the end of the story, but if you still don't know who they are, I'll tell you next chapter.

Now, enough blabbing. On with the story!

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Kagome walked down the winding road with her little brother, listening to him prattle on about nonsense things that boys seem to find interesting. Her soft soled leather boots padded softly against the gravel path, cut through the forest that lay between her father's house and the local village. Kagome would've liked to be able to listen to the birds and other forest dwelling animals, but her brother's loud voice drove them into hiding. Kagome shifted her basket higher onto her arm before lazily drawing her attention back to Souta. 

"...so Haruko 'nd Ke'ji took th' dare an' swiped lots o' bread off Kageromaru!" Souta concluded. He smiled happily, two teeth missing from the otherwise perfect rows of pearly white cartalidge. His hands were placed casually behind his head, his bare feet making less noise than Kagome's own.

Kagome took note of his lack of shoes and sighed. "Souta, why don't you wear shoes? You know you ought to. It'll be my head, not yours, that gets cracked if papa finds out you split your foot open from lack of footwear."

Souta's brow creased in concentration as he tried to pick out what his sister just said. After a moment of thinking, Souta brightened up. "Them thur shoes' make meh feet ache somethin' awful. 'T's no fun, neither." Kagome shook her head as he picked up the thread of a new story and continued on. The two siblings crossed a tiny bridge that led them over a babbeling brook and, almost like magic, the village was painted before them.

Each home was a perfect replica of the next. White walls, carefully thatched roofs and wooden shutters thrown open to the tantelizing breeze welcomed Kagome and Souta. Small picket fences protected little plots of land set aside for gardening from young children scampering across the streets. A few of the gardens that Kagome and Souta passed were filled with flowering blossoms, but most held vegetables or medicinal herbs in their clutches.

Kagome smiled. This was a place where she knew how to act. A place where she could fit in with the other women, shopping for food and other supplies that she needed to take care of the men in her household. Here she was just another customer for the baker to sell his bread to, for the butcher to call out his sales, for the local widow to try and tempt Kagome with her new fabrics just brought in from the outside world.

Kagome and Souta broke from the road to turn down a smaller lane. Following this, they were soon bombarded with the sounds and smells of the village square. People shouted back and forth to each other, performing a sort of melody in which the butcher kept time with his cleaver and the children danced merrily through the crowds. Horses and cattle added their own deep voices to the cacophany of noises as they were led from one stall to the other.

Souta turned an eager face to his older sister. "Cun I run 'n' look fer meh mates?" he asked. Kagome nodded, which released a small spell on Souta. He whooped and leapt into the crowd, dodging a horse-drawn cart and quickly disappearing into the hustle and bustle of the market.

Kagome sighed and shook her head. Reminding herself that she had errands to take care of, she picked up her pace and dove into the sea of bodies. Moving gracefully through the press of humanity, Kagome easily made her way to the local bookstore. She smiled as she was greeted with the cover of a book of heroes in the glass window. The sign called a greeting to her as it swung in the breeze. Kagome reached for the old brass knob that held the door closed to all but the most brave of people. The bell announced her presence as she forced the door open.

Kagome let her eyes slowly adjust to the dusty store, filled with shelves bursting with knowledge. Books littered tables, sat in stacks on the old floor just waiting for someone to pick them up and explore the pages hidden behind colorful bindings of leather. Kagome weaved through the chaos of paper and ink with the ease of long practice, making her way to the left side of the store. Her basket tapped rhythmically against her leg, the book inside shifting to the beat.

She came quickly onto a counter, as littered with books as the rest of the store. Clearing her throat lightly, a head peered over the mountain of literature. "Ah, Kagome," a quiet voice greeted. "You're back already, I see."

Kagome nodded and waited patiently for the young man to extract himself from his former position. A small crash was heard as one of the towers stacked on the counter gave way to gravity's pull. A small yelp followed. Kagome rushed to the aid of a hand poking out from a rather large pile of books. Laughing, she used her weight to help a man with dirty brown hair to his feet.

He stood around a head taller than Kagome's own meager five and a half feet. His brown eyes held kindness and innocence more commonly found in a young child than a man of eighteen years. He dusted off his leather apron and straightened a creme colored shirt before turning his attention back to Kagome.

"Sorry about that. Gets a little crowded in here sometimes."

"It's nice to see you again, Houjo," Kagome replied. "Did you get anything new?" For as long as Kagome had known him, Houjo had been an avid reader. He himself had taught her how to read and write. It was more than most young children around their village could accomplish. Of the entire population, only Kagome and Houjo read on a regular basis, which was the basis of their origional friendship.

Houjo rubbed his ink-stained hands eagerly. "I just got a new shipment. Follow me." He squeazed passed Kagome and led the way to the back room. If it were at all possible, the back room was filled even more than the actual store. Here was where Houjo kept those books that he prized above all else. Those, and a few that he thought Kagome would be interested in.

Kagome followed him to the far right corner, where a pile of papers sat. They were each bound in groups, which gave away to Kagome that they were waiting for a new binding. Along with selling books to those few who could read, he re-bound old and tattered ones for a fee. People from the nearby villages sent their bibles and pleasure books to him to fix up, and he, in turn, prospered enough to continue his little store.

Picking up a small, leather bound novel, Houjo handed it to Kagome with a flourish. "It was in horrible condition when I found it in the bottom of the crate, but it's an amazing story. It's actually more of a small collection of fairytales, but still worth the time I took to re-bind it." He scratched one corner of his mouth, smearing small amounts of black across his cheek.

Kagome ran her hands over the cover. It was entitled _A Series of Tales_ and Kagome eagerly began to flip through it. This had been exactly what she had been waiting for. Her eyes lit up as she came across a carefully drawn picture. It was so detailed that Kagome wanted to cry, having never held a single book in her hands that showed scenes this clearly. A small caption was scrawled on the bottom, claiming that this was "The Mermaid Ariel and Her Beloved Prince". Kagome reluctantly closed the book. Pulling out the old one from her basket, she put the two together and held them out for Houjo.

He reached out and took one, but left the gold one in Kagome's possession. "You take it. I've already read it over, and it would fit your tastes better than mine." Kagome gawked as he continued. "I mean, women like you like all that wishy-washy love stuff. I'm more into science myself, and reaccountings of history. There's nothing I would do with it, it'd just sit around gathering dust like the rest of my collection." He looked up and his eyes held a carefully concealed emotion. "Besides, I owe you a late birthday present. Consider my debt paid."

"But, I couldn't! You spent so much time redoing the binding..." Kagome trailed off as Houjo gave her a stern look. Sighing, she carefully placed the book into her basket and covered it again. "I can't thank you enough, then. I do believe that instead of getting your debt repaid, you just earned a favor."

Houjo shook his head. "Nonsense. It was my pleasure, majesty," he said, making a mock bow. "And now, if her highness will excuse me, I have work to finish. If you would please proceed me?" He gestured to the doorway and they both laughed. Kagome walked in front of him until they got to the door. Still laughing softly, Houjo held the door open for her. "Now don't be a stranger. Come back sometime next week and I might have a few more surprise books up my sleeve."

"I will," Kagome promised. Cheered up considerably, Kagome made her way towards the baker. A cheery fellow with an even happier wife, Kagome enjoyed the time she took to purchase goods from them. Their stall was small compared to some of the others, but was packed with sweet rolls, fresh loaves of bread, and just about every sort of pastry Kagome had ever heard of. Already she could smell the croissants and baguettes being pulled from the small stone oven located at the rear of the enclosure.

Kagome smiled as she caught the red hair of Kenshin. His pale face was always smiling. He had no temper that Kagome knew of, even when he found out that his mischeivious children had tampered with some sort of device or other. He could always be picked out in a crowd, even if he had his hair covered. Kind violet eyes were always watching everything. If you couldn't see his eyes, you knew it was Kenshin from the cross-shaped scar on his cheek.

As Kagome approached, Kenshin's wife, Kaoru, entered their shop from a door that led to their house. Her midnight hair, nearly as dark as Kagome's own and as long as her husbands, sat in a small knot at the base of her neck. She was an odd one, or so the other villager's thought. Kagome could see why they thought that. After all, Kaoru wore the exact same make of breeches and shirt as her husband, regardless that it was labeled 'un-lady-like' by most every other man. Kagome absolutely adored Kaoru, even if she had one of the worst tempers in all the land. Midnight blue eyes met chocolate brown ones as Kaoru spotted Kagome.

"Why, hello, Kagome," Kaoru's strong voice greeted. "How are you today?" Kenshin turned and offered his own hello, muffled due to the fact that his arms were full and blocked his mouth slightly. Kenshin and Kaoru were two other villager's that visited Houjo on a regular basis. No one knew where they had come from before they arrived at their tiny village. Wherever it was, they had both learned to read and write like noblemen out there.

"I've just come from Houjo's. He's just gotten a new shipment in, and gave me a new book." Kagome pulled the precious item from her basket and showed it to her friend. "According to him, it's a couple fairytales all in the same binding. It even has pictures!" Kagome opened the book to the mermaid picture and showed it to Kaoru.

"That's great!" she exclaimed. "May I take a look?" Kagome handed it over to Kaoru and watched as her friend began to scan the first few pages. "I think I've heard of this story. If I remember correctly, it runs along the same lines as what you usually read, Kagome." Smiling, Kaoru carefully handed the book back to its owner.

"That's what Houjo said." Kagome replaced the book in her basket and adjust her skirts. "I can't wait to read it, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to wait until later tonight." Kenshin came upon the conversation, and Kagome immediately adjusted to include him. "I mean, I still have to do chores and supper tonight. Which reminds me, I need a few things."

Kenshin nodded as Kaoru retreated to check the ovens. "Mrs. Higurashii, it's nice to see you in good health." Kenshin's soft tenor was a joy to Kagome's ears. She always enjoyed him talking to her, if only because he was sweeter than any other village boy. "Would you be needing anything in particular, or just the regular order?" he asked.

After Kagome said that it was going to be the same as always, Kenshin and her began to talk about little nothings as Kaoru filled her request. They chatted for a good few minutes before Kagome was handed a small cloth package. Politely excusing herself, Kagome left her friends to the next costumer in line to continue her shopping.

Her errands were just about finished when Kagome heard the telltale signs of the local prettyboys. Kagome shuddered and slowly turned on the scene. Two young men with the same length of black hair brawled in the middle of the square, effectively blocking traffic from all angles. People shouted and complained to the two boys, who ignored everything but the fight. Shaking her head, Kagome stepped out of the crowd and walked towards the fight. If everyone else was afraid to get in the way of two childish men, that was their choice. It sure as hell wouldn't stop Kagome.

Just as she began to make out the insults that were being thrown back and forth, the two participents pulled apart. The one on the left sported a black eye and a split lip, his clothes torn at the seams. The other had various cuts located all over his chest and arms, wounds that most likely came from an object sharp enough to puncture skin, but not enough to kill. They both panted heavily and glared at each other. Kagome expected to be struck by lightening from the tension that was held between the two opponents as she walked in between them.

Bad move. They both snapped out of their fighting stupor as soon as Kagome appeared in their line of vision. Kagome squeaked as two incredibaly tall men descended upon her. Her right hand was grabbed and held by the guy with the cuts as a hand was laid on her left shoulder from buise-boy.

"Kagome, this mutt started it..."

"No I didn't! It was your fault..."

Both began to argue over her until Kagome thought her head would explode from all the noise. Pulling her hand and shoulder away from them, she said loudly, "Enough." Both looked stunned at having her speak. "Take this somewhere else, Kouga, Inuyasha. You're blocking traffic." She didn't wait as both realized that they had, indeed, been stopping the world with their fight. Kagome was almost to the edge of the crowd that had gathered when she heard running feet.

Not wanting to deal with two love-struck adolescents, Kagome ducked into the crowd. Keeping a hand on her basket, she hurried towards the fountain a small distance away from the village square. She knew that they would stay and scour the square for her, thinking she had hidden in one of the many shops. With a feeling of triumph as both Kouga and Inuyasha vented their frustration on each other, Kagome pulled from the mob of people and into a quieter, less crowded clearing.

Lady luck must have had a grudge against the young girl, for just as she thought she was in the clear, she was spotted by two women at the fountain. Cursing her luck, Kagome slowly made her way towards them, their icy glares penetrating the warm spring air to wrap around Kagome's throat like some demented shawl. As she finally made it to the young brunette and red haired women, she greeted them. "Kikyo, Ayame, how are you this fine day?"

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End Chapter

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Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please review.  



	3. Chapter III

A/N: Hm, this story seems to be going better than ACE is. Well, that's not surprising. I actually have a plot to follow! Then again, there really aren't as many reviews as ACE...but that's alright. As long as people read this and like it, then I feel like I've done my duty. After all, these are stories. Stories are meant to be read.

Okay, about the poll. It's going to be a standing poll that I'll keep people posted on. What is the poll, you ask? Well, it's whether or not Kouga or Inuyasha should stab the beast. As of yet, Inuyasha is leading one to zip. So, please vote. How can I make this appealing to readers if you don't let me know what you like?

KawaiiYuki: I don't know. I guess you'll have to wait for the fifth (or so) chapter. Really, this is going faster than I thought it would. An the only reason I added Kenshin and Kaoru was because I needed more people, and I couldn't think of anyone else that's easy to write. Thanks for reading this!

XxcutiekatxX: I'm planning on adding a little bit of my style humor when Kagome gets to the castle. Of course, she first needs to actually GET there. I'm glad you like it.

regretfully-yours-Cassy-chan: Yes, they are. I like how you refer to them, too. Hm, there seem to be many a Kouga fan to read my work. Unfortunately, because ACE has so many Inuyasha characters in play, this one is going to center around Yuyu Hakusho ones. Well, okay, there's one Inuyasha person at the castle. Care to take a guess? I refuse to abandon stories (unless it's like my Rin one. Which I find it tedious to type from the written out notebook pages) and I'm making it a personal goal to update once a day with this story. I have something to base it off of, so I don't have any excuses to not update.

Now, the continuation of The Truth of Beauty. (Title starting to make sense yet?)

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As Kagome greeted the two women at the fountain, they slowly stood. Kikyo and Ayame, two women that no villager but Kagome dared to cross. That is, Kagome had no choice. They seemed to go out of their way to make Kagome's life utter misery. And it was because of something Kagome couldn't do anything about! How could she know that as soon as she moved here, the objects of the two maiden's affections would immediately latch onto her? Cursing her luck, she waited for the inevitable confrontation. 

Kikyo was the first to start off. Her hair, so much like Kagome's yet so different, was held back in a delicate braid that trailed over her shoulder as if it were an expensive pelt from some exotic black animal. Her black eyes held no room for any warmth. She was the main object of most of the male population here, including old grandfather's and young boys barely past their teens. A pale beauty she was, and she damn well knew it. Her voice held malice in it as she spoke, enough to make even demons quake in fear. "Did ye see tha', Aya? This 'ere bi'ch done stole aur men!"

Ayame had the look that promised misery in Kagome's near future as she replied. "Tha' whore, gone an' stolen tha' thur lookin' from me precious Kouga." Standing slightly behind her friend, Ayame shook her hair away from her face. She obviously envied Kikyo; Ayame made sure to wear her hair the same way as the pale seventeen year old, even going as far in her emulations as to dress exactly alike. Today, it appeared that Kikyo had hoped to get the attention of Inuyasha. The scarlet, cotton skirt with matching bodice over a pale creme shirt complimented Kikyo's figure nicely. It also made it seem like she actually had color in her cheeks, whereas the same outfit clashed horribly with Ayame's red hair.

Kagome laughed nervously. Things weren't looking good. "Well, you see girls, I didn't know they were there," she tried to lie. Kagome had always been a horrible liar, and always would, most likely. It always hurt her to lie to anyone. Even if that person were a complete stranger, or even if it was someone that she couldn't stand to be around. "I honestly wasn't paying attention to my surroundings. Since I normally come to the fountain through the middle of the square, I didn't think that I'd be better off changing my route."

From the look on the two faces, neither of them believed her. Not that Kagome was really expecting much. She shifted a little as the two women advanced. She wouldn't back away, she wouldn't! She had at least a small amount of courage, didn't she? Somewhere? Oh, she hoped she did. What had started out as an alright day had already taken two dark plunges. She didn't need a third. She already had enough on her hands. Speaking of, the basket around her arm was getting harder and harder to hold. Of course, it did have food, cloth and sewing threads, her book and a few other random things inside. How did her mind get so far off track? She was supposed to be preparing for an early death.

Kikyo's evil eyes narrowed. "Methinks ye need t' be teached a learnin', y'hear?" Fisted hands reached for Kagome. "A purdy wench like yeh shudden wander alone, eh? Things culd be happenin' t' un'wares bi'ch's." Kagome shivered, a cold breeze flowing down her back. She was in for it, and she really didn't do anything to deserve it. She was a good, friendly girl. Right? Kikyo obviously didn't think so, because she was now reaching for Kagome. Her hand kept drifting dangerously closer to her throat. Kagome was too afraid to move, she had never been faced with a murderous crazy woman before. Somewhere in the back of her mind she registered that Ayame was cheering Kikyo on. The same part then realized that Kagome was going to die.

"Kag'me! Wat'cha doin' wi' them there gurls?" Kikyo's hand snapped back. Kagome breathed a sigh of relief as her brother came upon the scene. "Ur yeh done wiv yer shoppin'?" he asked innocently. Kagome wanted to throw her arms around her brother as Kikyo and Ayame tried discreetly to disappear into a non-existant crowd. "I wanna go an' be askin' pop summit." His hand reached out to grasp Kagome's. Still numb at what might have been, Kagome let her brother lead her back to their house.

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The sun had set some time ago. Inside the little farm cottage, a fire blazed happily as Kagome tended to the pot over it. It was pleasently warm, what with the windows open to tempt a small breeze into the would-be stiffling room. Kagome rotated her wrist, the wooden spoon in her hand following the movement obediently. Kagome's mind was completely blank as she watched the boiling stew cook. Her father and brother were still out, finishing chores that were too manly for Kagome to help with. 

Kagome knew they would be done soon, and it was just as well. Too much longer and the stew would become mush. Not a pleasent kind, either. The kind of soggy stuff that was barely fit for hog slop. If it came to that, Kagome would get in trouble. Never mind that her dear family had stayed out later then normal and not warned her. No, as a good housekeeper, it was supposed to be in Kagome's instinctive nature to know when to start supper preperations that would bring out the best flavor in a meal.

This had never been Kagome's strong suit. Her mother had been much better at that sort of thing than Kagome could ever aspire to accomplish. A rare gem indeed, Kagome's mother had been the ideal wife. Perfect body for bearing children, perfect skills in the home, perfect knowledge of her place, perfect everything. There was hardly anyone that could or would have faulted Kagome and Souta's mother in the home.

Her father had been different, then. Not the hard, pushy, tempermental man he was now. Madam Higurashii had some small amount of control that allowed her to keep her daughter in her husbands favor. Even when this same daughter went out in breeches like some boy, playing in the mud and shirking her lessons in lady-ness. Those were the better days. Her father actually laughed and spent time with Kagome. She could still remember the winter before her mother took ill.

Souta had been but a babe in his mother's arms. Madam Higurashii had been sitting in a small rocker that had lived near the fireplace. Her brunette hair bad been draped carelessy across the back of the chair, her naturally pale face cooing at her baby son. Kagome herself had been sitting on her papa's lap, listening to a story as the wild winter wind howled its rage at the family inside. The fire had been built as high as they could've made it and kept that way, keeping the cold at bay and providing a soft glowing light for them all to see by. Kagome, even though she had been a young girl of seven years, still remembered that time as clearly as if it were yesterday. And she held it closer to her heart than anything, for that was a happy time when everything had been right in her young world.

Alas, luck had never favored Kagome. Just that summer, a strange new fever had gripped the town. Kagome could clearly remember being in the village when people all around her began to collapse. Panic had seized the town and refused to let go. The head of the village had sent for a nearby physician. There had been no answer. They were an abandoned village, and treated the situation as thus. At least one in every family was ill with what would come to be known as the Cold Fever. Kagome herself remebered being struck down with the illness.

She had been playing in the barn when she suddenly began to shiver. She was frightened and didn't know what was going on. Immediately running to find her mother, she collapsed just inside the house. Her mother and father had been frantic with worry about their precious daughter. The fever took the weak, the elderly, and the children. If they were lucky, they fought it off and made it through. Few did, but it was a small hope that Kagome's parents clung to in the darkest night, when Souta was coughing from the common cold and Kagome was writhing in pain from the fever dreams.

Madam Higurashii had stayed by her daughter's side all that summer. That was the summer that her mother learned to read, if only to bring Kagome small amounts of comfort in her times of fogged awareness. She scoured all of the places she could think of in order to find things to read to Kagome. She would stay up late, reading into the night while Kagome whimpered in fear of her demons. No one seemed to notice that with each passing day, as Kagome slowly began to recover, her mother began to deteriorate.

Finally, when Kagome awoke one morning to find that her fever had broken and dreams no longer plagued her sleep, her mother had been slumped over in a cold sweat. It had shaken Kagome's father. First her daughter was stuck down, and then his wife. Only this time, the ill didn't recover. Madame Higurashii continued to fade despite the best efforts of her beloved husband. She was constantly in pain and nobody would give up on her. It was cruel of Kagome's father to keep his wife alive when he knew she would just continue to fade until there was nothing left.

Then, one night, it happened. Everything changed so fast. Kagome's mother sighed her last sigh as she passed into the next life. Her father roared his sorrow into the night, keeping both children awake. Kagome had taken it upon herself to care for her younger brother in wake of her mother's sickness. She had been surprised to hear her father voice his sorrow, for wasn't her mother still breathing? She had trotted cautiously into her parent's room to find her proud, strong father bent over her mother's motionless body.

She had tried to comfort him, as all young children try when their parents are shattered and broken. It was a major shock to her when her father turned his anger and bitterness onto her. She had been reaching out for his arm, intending on telling him that mommy was happy that we were all still alive, when her father had struck. He just hit with all his strength, backhanding the young child into the wall. To say Kagome was frightened was an understatement. She had held her sore cheek delicately, tears shining in her young eyes. He had risen and turned to her, his eyes filled with hate and resentment.

He had approached slowly, asking Kagome and God why his wife had to be taken. Why couldn't it have been his ungrateful daughter? Why did she have to survive while her own mother was sacrificed in her place? He had been reaching down for her, and Kagome had seen the murder in his once loving eyes. This, the same father who had just recently told her that she was the most precious angel he could ever hope for. This, the father who had been laughing and telling her stories on cold winter nights when they were stuck inside their small abode. Kagome had fled in fear that night, staying out until she knew that he had calmed. She had returned to find a home that would be forever different, a father that would never be the same.

Thinking of all this, Kagome absently heard the door open and her father and brother stride into the house. She payed small amount of attention the the conversation they were having, something to do with Buka, their stubborn donkey that helped the farmwork, that made Souta whine. As she began to spoon bowls of steaming food into wooden dishes, her father and brother took their seats at the table. She put a lead cover over the food, swinging it away from the fire so it wouldn't burn, and brought the food to the table. Picking up a knife and taking the loaf of bread from the middle of the table, Kagome began to slice peices off and pass them to the two men.

Just as she was ready to sit down to her own meal, her father cleared his throat. "Kag'me," he began. Kagome looked up and set hands that had been reaching for a spoon into her lap, placing all her attention on her father. "Buka jest split one o' 'er feet. Yer t' take 'er t' th' town o'er past that there furest t' th' an'mal doc, y'hear?" Kagome's jaw dropped. Her father began to spoon bits of potato into his mouth as Kagome processed this.

"B-but father! I have stuff that I need to do here, I can't go into the forest!" Her voice squeaked slightly at this. Nobody who went into the forest ever came back. There were legends there that told of man eating beasts, enchanting curse givers, even demons. Kagome wasn't stupid, she knew that she didn't stand a chance in a situation where trained mercenaries had disappeared without a trace. And her father was telling her to take their old donkey through there? They _had _something near enough an animal doctor in their village already. "Besides, Souta is old enough to go on his own. He doesn't need a babysitter anymore. Let him go!" Of course, the idea of spending nearly two weeks with only her father made Kagome frightened as hell, but it was more favorable than the hell that awaited her in the forest.

Her father slammed his spoon onto the table in anger, effectively splintering the wooden utensil into tinder. Souta winced as he slurped his supper. "Ye'll listen t' meh an' go, hear? Souta's been need'd 'round 'ere, not some stupid wench who don't know 'er place! Ye'll do as yer told, ur so 'elp meh, ye'll be married off ter th' firs' chap who catch's meh fancy!"

Kagome bowed her head as her father carried on his rant. If there was one thing Kagome feared, it was being tied down somewhere. Or to someone. She wanted to be able to leave this little town, see something of the large cities she heard about from traders. Getting married off would not only effectively tie her down, but she could have a worse situation than this. She had seen how violent many of the lads were in the village. Those were also the lads that her father favored over others. That would be the worst possible fate she could ever come across.

The room quieted as her father finished his speech. Not that she had been paying much attention, in favor of dreading a fate that was more likely to than not to come to pass. Silence blanketed the room, Souta having stopped eating in order to watch the drama unfold. Kagome held her breath, waiting for her father's final words. When they came, she was hardly surprised that they were filled with the same hate and bitterness that had been bourne ever since the death of Madame Higurashii. "Ye'll get to yer bed now, no supp'r or nothin', y'hear? T'morrow, if yer not outta this here house by th' time I git up fer meh work, ye'll be married off fastur then ye cun blink."

He waited a moment for effect. His voice didn't raise at all during this entire time, which scared Kagome more than it would if he had bellowed his lungs out. His eyes held her own frightened orbs in a hypnotized state, refusing to let her go lest she flee before she was told. Her father took a breath, and this time he yelled. "Git!" Kagome's chair scraped the paneled floor and fell as she fled to the safety of her room. Slamming the door shut, she ran to her bed and hastily threw a pack together for her trip the next morning. She waited a moment, trying to hold back frightened tears, before giving into sorrow. Throwing herself onto her bed, she wept herself to sleep.

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End Chapter

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Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please review! 


	4. Chapter IV

A/N: Sorry for the lateness, but at least it's out today, right? This seems to be picking up popularity quickly. Just a few notes about the length and stuff. One is that each scene is relatively short. I did that because I couldn't think of filler in between them. Second is that I didn't want to go past a certain point because the next chapter is specifically so that I can introduce some Yuyu people. Third, I'm just being lazy.

Also, a little explaination for those who are curious. It occured to me that, in the last chapter, I had Kouga and Inuyasha speaking properly. Oops. So, let me try and explain. In order to impress Kagome, they each learned the proper way of speaking. That would make sense, right?

regretfully-yours-Cassy-chan: Well, now there's a guess that no one has made yet. I'm trying to update once a day, so methinks that's fast enough, ne?

Kitsune Kagome: Well, then that's two for Inuyasha. Without my vote. I'm glad you like my writing, seeing as I don't. Thank you for reading and reviewing!

mizushoubi: XD Why, thank you! I really appreciate your opinion. Very out there.

Inu-babe666: If you don't know from my past work(s), then I guess you'll have to wait. Sorry about that.

kimonoprincess: Well, because they both have men they like or care for that are chasing Kagome. Plus, I just thought it'd be fun to write a few scenes with them. Plot devices, if you will. I absolutely hate her father, but he's fun to write. That is, his actions. Typing words like his are just hard. I have to write everything out then go back and fix it!

xxprincess-sakuraxx: I'm working on it. I have a 'template' to use, so it's going nicely!

**Poll: Kouga-0 Inuyasha**-**2**

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A small tavern shone in the darkness of the night. Sounds of all sorts poured from the small business in a wave of noise. Silhouettes paraded in front of the hazy glass windows. Thunder growled over the small building, drowned out over the cacophony that came from the small building. Inside, people crammed themselves into any amount of space that could be found. Serving girls, that served more than just drinks for the right price, weaved in and out of the disorder of the room. 

In a small corner, a young man with long black hair sat at a lone table. His violet eyes scanned the room briefly before returning to his untouched drink. His pale skin danced where the firelight touched it. His air was casual and cold. Because of that, he was able to have a relatively small amount of space to himself. There was just something about him that kept the locals away from him. His head turned slightly to pick up footsteps heading his way. Tensing for a moment, he soon relaxed as his friend dropped into a chair opposite him.

Like him, his long time buddy had black hair. Most villagers sported the same color, but the difference was the length in which they wore it. Most men here wore their hair long (with the exception of people like Houjo, in which hair would be more of a bother than anything else), whereas this gentleman had his cut as short as possible and kept in a small dragon tail at the nape of his neck. His posture suggested noble blood, and he could normally fool people into the thought that he had a fortune somewhere. Until they got a good look at his eyes, that is. His violet orbs held mischief and experience, which both attracted and repelled women.

Throwing an arm casually over his shoulder, he reclined enough to rest his booted feet onto the table in front of him. Flagging a serving girl, he was quickly brought a mug of ale. He threw a heart-breaking smile to the young woman, who giggled like a young child at his playfulness. Taking a small sip from his glass, he adressed his friend. "So, In'yasha, wha' sort o' truble 'ave yeh gotten inta lately."

Inuyasha glared at the player. "Miroku, we all know you have a body. Most know it well, and others want to get to know it better. I, unfortunately, am not one of those people. You can get your damn dirty feet off the table now or I'll be forced to bash that pretty face of yours into the nearest solid object." To prove his point, he began to stand up.

Miroku hastily pulled his feet off of the table and set them onto the floor. "A'ight, a'ight, keep yur shirt on. Ur not," he added with a smirk. "'Tis yer choice, eh?" Inuyasha threw a look at Miroku that should've forced the womanizer into an early death. With an air of 'I don't care what the hell you think of me right now', Miroku downed the rest of his drink. "Wull ye tell meh wha' th' 'ell yeh've been up ta ur no?" he asked.

Inuyasha shook his head. "That bastard Kouga picked a fight with me again. Kagome walked into the middle of it and completely blew me off! I mean, she could've waited until I kissed his ungrateful mongrel ass first. I don't see why she doesn't like me; I'm a nice person, right?" Miroku nodded solomnly as his friend poured his problems out. "And then, on _top _of that, that wench Kikyo had to appear out of nowhere and start putting her hands on me!" Inuyasha's voice rose to a high squeak at the last statement. "The only good thing to come out of all this was that Kouga was kidnapped by that crazy bitch that's always stalking him."

Miroku shook his head. "In'yasha, me friend, ye've gotta learn teh 'njoy life! Th' gal on'y cums 'round once," Miroku held up a finger to emphasize his point. "Live an' par'y hard!" He slammed his fist down onto the table, and a drink appeared out of thin air. "Take meself, fer notice. I wuld do almos' an'thin' fer a night wiv either o' them damsels." He downed his glass again and another was placed at his elbow. "Thems has gotta beh some o' th' bes' damn lookin' bi'ches in th' town." His speech slurred as the drink began to hit his system.

Inuyasha shook his head. "This is different, Miroku. You can easily have any woman you want. Me, I've got to fight for my position or take a crazy bitch. Doesn't leave many choices. Besides, I thought that you had your eye on that seamstress, what was her name?" Inuyasha narrowed his eyes as he tried to recall the face of the woman he saw once in a blue moon. "Ah, Sango, I believe. What about her?"

Miroku swayed slightly as he finished his fifth drink. "Shango, eh? She'sm a purdy un. I 'uld Love t' 'ave her'sh." Inuyasha shook his head. Trust Miroku to get drunk quickly. Miroku furrowed his brow as he tried to form the words for his next idea. "Yeh know wha' yer needsh, In'yash- yash- a?" he asked. "Yer needsh t' getsh th' gurlie a'fur Kouga'sh claimsh 'er. Liken th' murriage kin."

Inuyasha perked up at that. "Yeah! I already know her father likes me, so all I have to do is ask for her hand! I'm sure I'd get it. It's not like any other guy has come forward yet. You're right. I should claim what's mine before some other dog sticks his paws on her." Inuyasha's eyes sparkeled as he thought of finally being able to call Kagome his own.

Miroku leaned forward. Inuyasha turned his attention back onto his friend, in case he had another bright idea. Miroku opened his mouth and said, "You'sh gunna finish'sh tha'?" Inuyasha laughed and slid his untouched drink over to his friend. Feeling much better than before, Inuyasha let Miroku prattle on about the difference between women.

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False dawn came across clearly and crisply. It had rained earlier that morning, giving the world the refreshing bath it had desperately needed. Dew clung to the grass and plants, catching the sunlight in a make-shift sun catcher. It was one of those mornings that just called to people to stay in bed as long as possible. A soft breeze carried a chill air on it, further backing the already high potential of a late rise. Nothing but a prone figure moved in this early hour. 

Kagome had really regretted the lie-in that she could have had if only Buka hadn't been injured. She was never really a morning person, and today was no exception. Her hatred of early rising was increased by the temperature with which she had awoken to. Not that she had a choice in the matter. She was already on her father's black list, and if she didn't do this...she really didn't want to think of the consequences again. Instead, she had pulled out some of her winter clothing this morning. Throwing on an outfit similar to that of the day before, she capped it off with a heavy woolen cloak and wool-lined boots. She knew that she would most likely change outfits later in the day, but right now she blessed the fact that she wasn't one of those highborn nobles. If she were one of them and had to do something similar to her current orders, she would no doubt have to spend precious time hunting for warm clothing in mountains of party dresses.

She went over a mental list of items again in her head as she walked towards her family's small barn. She had all of her secondhand clothing packed in her small sack, along with her new book and a small parcel of fruit and bread. Her water skin hung heavily across her waist, ensuring that with her meal she would have something to wash the food down with. She didn't want to go into that forest and find out that, unlikely as it seemed, there were no streams or rivers. Or worse, that there actually _were _water sources that she couldn't use due to some sort of plant poisening. That would be a far more cruel form of torture at the moment.

Throwing her wieght to the side, Kagome slowly peeled the barn door open. The old wood groaned in agony as it was forced to work. As Kagome used her back to finish pushing it all the way open, Buka and their lone work horse, Kira, both greeted her lazily. Kagome smiled at their drowzy grumbeling, so much like herself in the morning. Walking to the stall on the left side, she grabbed a rope halter from the peg outside the enclosure.

"Heya, Buka," Kagome greeted softly. "Sorry to wake you, old chap, but we've got to hit the road. You feeling a little better?" Kagome gently opened the door, stepped in, and quietly closed it behind her. Buka shifted a little as Kagome made her way to the donkey's front right hoove. Lifting it gently, she assessed the damage. "Tch. This is nothing. Old man Totousai could've had you all fixed up in a giffy, couldn't he?" In reply, Buka reclaimed his foot and put it down. Kagome laughed.

"Ah, so you want the royal treatement, eh? Well, your majesty, I do believe you are about to get it." Coaxing the tired animal into the world of the waking, she slowly slipped the halter on. "You're lucky, you know? Papa treats you better than his own flesh and blood." Buka brayed. "It's true! I mean, you only work for a few hours every other day. That's more than I can say for myself." She finished her preparations with Buka and shifted, the small pack on her back sliding into a more comfortable position. "It's too bad I don't dare put more wieght on your foot than is absolutely necessary, either. This pack is going to give me a sore back by noontime." Buka snorted.

Kagome, who had just turned to open the stall door, flipped around. "Oh, so you're going to make fun of me, eh? We'll just see about that." Kagome put her hands on her hips, Buka's lead rope fisted in her left hand. "Young man, you are grounded as soon as we get back. You are to stay in your ro- stall, and you are not to come out until you've learned your lesson." Buka eyed Kagome wearily, heaving a sigh. "Now, come." With that, Kagome turned, grabbed a small pack to strap to her own from the floor outside the stall, and lead the resigned donkey out into the open.

Breathing deeply, Kagome set herself out towards the path. This time, instead of turning left and heading towards the village, she turned right. The gravel path made the only noise as Kagome and Buka picked their way towards the forest. Kagome talked about anything that came to mind, trying to keep at bay the nagging feeling that she wouldn't see her village again. Talking seemed to help the young woman keep the fear bottled up in a dark corner of her otherwise calm and collected mind. There were no animals to break the silence of the morning, and there wouldn't be until true dawn came upon them.

Too soon for Kagome's taste, the gravel road turned into a simple dirt path. The forest loomed above her, causing Buka to balk. Kagome hurried to calm the beast down, keeping her own fear in careful check. There was something about the forest that wasn't right to Kagome. It could've been the trees themselves, tall enough so that the tops couldn't be seen and wide enough that Kagome and her family could put their hands fingertip to fingertip and barely reach half way around, but Kagome didn't think so. It could've been the eerie mist that coated the forest floor, but that was as unlikely as the trees. No, this was some dark evil that slept deep in the depths of the darkness.

Buka finally calmed enough for Kagome to concentrate of pulling the last dregs of courage she had left and put it to good use. "Well, old boyo," she told Buka, "no sense in dallying any longer. I guess we'd better get this over with well before my bravery deserts me." Squaring her shoulders and raising her chin in a determined fashion, Kagome led the uneasy animal into the world of night.

* * *

A fire crackled merrily as Kagome finished tying off Buka. The donkey immediately made a bee-line towards the nearest patch of grass, ripping the plants from their roots viciously. Kagome opened the tiny pack she had tied to her own before they had set out and dumped a gracious amount of grain in a small pile neat where Buka was decemating the foliage. Kagome stood with a groan and shook her head. "We're both hungry, aren't we?" Buka ignored Kagome's statement in favor of the grain pile. 

Kagome wearily sat down in front of the fire, dragging her own pack from her back. She moaned in relief as she opened her the sack and pulled out her bundle of food. "Ah, travel rations. Lovely," she muttered. Shrugging it off, she broke a quarter of the bread apart and snagged an apple before restoring it to it's proper place once again. Her mouth watered at the thought of food; she had forgone lunch in favor of going as far as she could before stopping for the night.

Ever since they had entered this land of unknown, Kagome had felt eyes at the back of her neck. She had struck up a one-sided conversation with her silent companion in order to draw attention away from the creepy feeling. It had worked, to a point. The feeling had lessened and she had grown slightly more comfortable during the walk.

Now, those eyes were back again. She had thought she would enjoy her meager meal at first, but quickly lost her appetite. Nevertheless, she forced herself to finish her food. She had only so much with her, and if she dropped from not eating, food would do no good to her then. She had to ration her supplies wisely, lest she take longer than the expected two days of travel she had calculated. If she ran into any amount of trouble, she still had two days worth of food to cushion herself. She shouldn't have been worried at all. She didn't need to keep watch; Buka would start at any small noise in the night. She had enough food to keep her and the donkey happy and healthy for some time if they stretched their food even more.

But those eyes wouldn't let up. They held some sort of malice in them that made Kagome jumpy and on edge. She couldn't shake the fact that something was about to happen. The memory of her village popped into her head, along with the feeling from that morning that told her she should've said her goodbyes to her friends. It nagged at her almost as much as the watchful feeling did. There was just no shaking it.

So she stayed awake as long as she could. She stubbornly refused to sleep until she absolutely _had _to. It was stupid, she knew, and she also knew that she would feel foolish if she stayed up and there was nothing wrong. However, she made a fair effort. She was able to stay up well into the night. Finally falling asleep at moonset, she laughed at herself for thinking anything was wrong. This was a forest, after all. Forests didn't have eyes.

Apparently she should've told that to the shadow that swept into her camp as soon as she fell into a deep slumber.

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End Chapter

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Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please review! 


	5. Chapter V

A/N: Alright, since I missed yesterday, I'm turning out two chapters today! I'm set, determined, and ready. Nothing will stop me. Unless, of course, the power goes out again. That's what happened yesterday. So, that's that. Story stuffs... Okay, Kagome finally makes it to the castle. Finally! Everyone celebrate! Now we can get some action in here, and introduce some Yuyu people!

xxprincess-sakuraxx: Hurray! Another review!

regretfully-yours-Cassy-chan: That accent is origionated from the depths of my mind. I really just made it up on the spot. Whatever sounded cool, I just put in.

crazy-punk-girl: o.O This is really scary. I was reading your review, and I thought 'This person is like me!' I agree that disney is evil. Although, they come up with some cute ideas for movies, they could lay of the adult themes. Thank you for reading, and going over my grammer and spelling. I'm horrible at both. XP As for your questions: You find out in this chapter. Kuwabara won't show up until the next chapter, and Yuusuke has a brief scene. I was origionally going to get rid of Buka, but I need an origional that I can go crazy with. As per suggestions, we really think along the same lines. I had never intended to have happy dancing furniture prancing around everywhere, so I had to have a new curse. I have it all planned out, as far as I've thought, at least. As for Inuyasha being rejected...I need more humor. I think I'll use that. Feel free to ask as many questions as you can come up with. I do the same thing, and love to answer 'em!

Okay, so we get poll results and then it's off to see the wizard! Alright, so that was completely random. Ignore my last two statements.

**Poll: Kouga-0 Inuyasha-2**

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Kagome knew something was wrong before she even opened her eyes. There was a growling sound nearby, and Buka wasn't making a sound. That told Kagome that either something had happened to the poor beast, or there was something in the plants that made him unresponsive. Slowly cracking an eye open, Kagome froze. 

There was a creature not two feet from her. It had deep, crimson fur that ruffled in a breeze that simply didn't exist. Black claws, longer than any knife Kagome had ever seen, extended from each of it's four paws. Where they touched, the vegitation sizzled and burned away. Judging from that alone, Kagome could easily say that this creature was poisonous. It resembeled a wolf from where Kagome's viewpoint was. The only difference she could see was that the tail, covered in a scales more like a snake than anything, forked off and moved like a whip.

Kagome slowly sat up, hoping that she could stand without alerting the thing. She got to her feet and began to back up slowly. She clenched her book, still in her hands from when she had been reading the night before. Slowly, inching her way across the clearing, she thanked whatever god was listening that she had brought her own food. That alone most likely saved her skin at the moment. She terribly regretted having to leave Buka behind, but the donkey had not moved from where it had settled in for the night. A telltale sign that he had been paralyzed, or was already dead.

Kagome's breath caught as her boot-clad feet stepped on a twig. The snapping noise caught the attention of the predator, and it flipped its head around. All one-hundred and eighty degrees around, without moving the rest of its body. Terror welled up in Kagome's chest as she quickly remedeed the thought that this was a wolf creature. The face of the creature was that of a human being, complete with nose and mouth. What terrified Kagome was the rows of shark-like teeth that gleamed in the moonlight as it smiled maliciously.

She couldn't move. It had her and it knew it. Turning its body around slowly, the face stayed turned towards her. Kagome was caught in those red eyes, drowning in bloody pools of predatory lust. It straightened, slowly, taking its time to relish in the fear wafting off of Kagome's person. It growled again, and Kagome swallowed as she realized it was laughing in a deep, rasping voice.

It took a step forward. Kagome would have loved to turn and flee at that moment, running until she got to the famed capital of Paris and left this entire nightmare behind her. Her mind registered another set of movements, coming from behind the creature. The wolf-man demon ignored the movements as it concentrated on the terrified woman in front of him. It snaked out its human-like tongue, licking chapped lips in anticipation.

Kagome could hardly believe what happened next. Apparently Buka had not liked being ignored, for just as the creature bent down to pounce, the braying ass angrily shoved his hooves into the thing's rear end. That was enough to break the spell for Kagome, and she leapt out of the way as the demon was propelled head over heels into a nearby tree. It hit the tree head-on. Movement alerted both creatures that the thing was still alive, just stunned, and Kagome rushed over to Buka.

The donkey was frightened beyond all reasoning. Kagome hurried over and fumbeled with the knot tying the lead rope in place. Shifting in the bushes behind her dragged up energy and calm that Kagome hadn't thought she possessed. She made short work of the simple knot then, and she threw all her wieght into the rope to get Buka moving.

The startled beast snorted in surprise and followed the leader. Kagome began to run as fast as she could, forcing Buka into a trot. "Come on, that's a good boy," she whispered to him in a frightened squeak. Talking probably wasn't the wisest thing to do at the moment, given the situation that Kagome had found herself in, but it helped Kagome to deal with her fear and keep a clear head. "We've got to get as far away from that..._thing_- as possible, hey?" She began to pant as she picked up her pace.

A cold sweat covered her neck as she heard the hunter pursue its prey. Kagome spurred straining muscles into a sprint, Buka following at a swift, if rocky, canter. Both human and animal knew that they had hardly a chance of making it out of the forest. For one thing, they were going considerably deeper into the depths of darkness. For another, the demon behind them was picking up the pace. It was both faster and more knowledgable of the forest than Kagome or Buka, putting it at a distinct advantage.

Just when Kagome's legs were about to give out, she and Buka broke into a clearing. They overlooked a small cliff, with a switchback trail leading down to a large gate. Kagome couldn't see past the massive gate into the darkness that covered everything beyond. All she knew was that the gates meant an enclosure, and an enclosure meant that both she and Buka could escape from the thing that hunted them. Without a second thought, she grabbed Buka's make-shift halter and began leading him down the trail.

Sooner than she expected, they were being followed down the trail. The wolf-man was moving swifter than either of the two frightened mammals, and they were just over halfway down. Kagome knew in the deepest, calmest part of her mind that there was a small chance they would make it to the gate in time.

Buka and Kagome finally reached the end of the trail, breaking off the back-and-forth pattern to make a mad dash to the gates. Kagome chanced a glance over her shoulder in time to see the predator leap down and bypass the last three rows. Kagome faced forward again as she heard pursuing feet behind them and threw a hand forward. It caught the gate, and Kagome threw her body against it. Squealing a protest, the gate slowly opened. Kagome herded Buka into the opening first, using the rope to whip the donkey's rump in a desperate attempt to get him to move faster.

Spinning, Kagome saw the small distance between hunter and hunted closing. She backpedaled into the gate opening, passing just to the other side before she stumbeled and fell backward. This was it; she knew she was going to die. That nagging feeling that she would never see the village again came back full force, drawing tears to Kagome's eyes.

She watched in slow motion as the thing leapt at her. It would be only a matter of moments before Kagome was shredded alive. Her throat closed up as the human lips parted in a gleeful smile, the crazed eyes capturing Kagome's brown orbs once again. It was coming up on the gate, its giant paws outstretched as if to embrace Kagome and the end that was inevitable. Kagome watched as its paws passed the gate, followed by a face, the torso-

And felt her jaw drop in terrified surprise when the beast was repelled by an unknown force. The creature was flung back all the way to the cliff, crumpling as it slammed into the wall of rock. An audible crack was heard, followed by an ear-splitting howl of a dying animal. Kagome's eyes drifted over the gate, which sizzled happily for a moment before quieting down.

It was a long while before Kagome was able to pluck up the courage to stand. When she finally did, she was nearly scared out of her skin when something ran itself into her back. Spinning faster than she had thought possible, she came face to face with none other than Buka. The ungrateful creature voiced his annoyance at being shoved into an unknown place when he had just been getting used to the light excersize Kagome had been giving him. He fixed Kagome with a look that plainly said 'You had better make it up to me or face dire consequences'. Kagome couldn't help but laugh shakily, trying to brush off her earlier fear.

Darting a hand out to grab Buka's halter, she stared in wonder. In one hand, she held Buka in place. In the other was the book that Houjo had given her the night before. "Huh," Kagome said in a soft voice. "Of all the things I could've grabbed and held onto, it had to be a book." Shaking her head at her own actions, she decided to take in her new surroundings. What she saw was enough to drive all thoughts of the earlier flight out of her head.

A dark castle rose from the ground in front of Kagome. She was able to make out six towers in the darkness, and didn't doubt that there were more. Each tower had a large spire stuck into the sky, reminding Kagome vaguely of a gigantic pin-cushion. There were large blobs of shadow at the base of each protrusion, suggesting gargoyles or some other stone figure. Kagome's gaze drifted south, coming to the body of the castle itself. Even in the faint moonlight, she was able to pick out a slew of windows that ran from one end of the castle to the other. Each one was, no doubt, paned with expensive glass that protected the inhabitants from the elements. Right in the middle of the sea of windows proudly stood a large set of wooden doors. Even at this distance, Kagome could make out the statues that flanked the doors. Steps led down to a dark path, winding around patches of land that told Kagome that tis was the front garden. The path led itself right up to where Kagome was standing, and out beyond the gates. As she had thought, a wall circled everything that Kagome was able to see.

Kagome began to walk towards the castle, following the path, when Buka brayed. Stopping, Kagome said aloud "We need a place to stay. I'm sure that whoever owns the castle has at least _one _room that we can stay in for the night. Besides, weren't you wishing earlier that you had a nice, warm stable to stay in?" Kagome felt the rope slackening as Buka began to pick his way to her. "Thought so, boyo. You're too predictable," she muttered.

The short trip down the walkway allowed Kagome to appreciate more of what she could make out. As far as she knew, somewhere along her little walk the path went from packed dirt to cobblestones. That impressed upon Kagome the vast wealth of this place more that a large building did. In her village, they weren't able to afford stone paths. They made do with cheap gravel that created chaos during a rainstorm. Cobblestones were found in the biggest of cities, or along well traveled roads. Neither of the two were anywhere near where Kagome and her family dwelled, so this was the first glimpse she had ever had of true wealth.

Sooner than she liked, Kagome was walking up the stone steps of the palace. Out of respect for the owner, Kagome had tied Buka to the railing that ran down either side of the stairway. Her feet made hardly a noise as she slowly made her way to the doors. When she reached them, she got an ominous feeling in the pits of her stomach. Her instincts screamed at her that she would be better off going to face the forest again, while her common sense told her that she didn't have any food, shelter or water for either her or her companion. As it always did, common sense won out.

The doors stood in front of her, barring entrance to any who would seek it. Large brass knockers gleamed in the night, reflecting any light source available. Kagome eyed them as she determined that each one was large enough for her to curl up in comfortably, wide enough that she would have to use two hands to circle them, and heavy enough to flatten Buka if one was dropped from above. Sighing with weariness, she was already more exhausted than she had ever been in her life, she reached up and slowly pulled one of the monsterous metal objects towards her.

She was panting by the time she was able to get it even an inch away from the wooden panels of the actual door. Her arms were trembling with the effort. She began to lose her hold on the knocker, and decided that any distance was better than none. Hastily letting go, she waited as it slowly fell back against the wood. She jumped as a large, resonating boom echoed into the night. She wasn't expecting it to be so loud, and her ears were ringing with the noise.

She waited for her summons to be answered. And waited. It was a while before she realized that, even though the noise had practically rendered her deaf, it might not have been heard throughout the entire structure. Just as she was bracing herself for another attempt, the door slowly creaked open of its own accord. Kagome cocked her head to the side, expecting to see someone akin to a butler appear from the shadows. When nobody showed, she slowly stepped through the doorway.

The room she entered must have been the recieving hall. As she let her eyes adjust to the darkness, she noticed a large carpet running under her feet into the lingering night. It was wide enough that four people could probably stand comfortably abreast, and was made of a dark material. Stone covered either side, and Kagome was glad for her boots and the material under her feet. That stone looked cold. A small table off to the side held an unlit candelabra. Kagome guessed it was wrought from gold, considering the size of the room and the wealth that was put into constructing the entire building.

Clutching her book to her chest, Kagome stepped deeper into the bowls of the castle. She paused slightly as she reached the place where the carpet runner ended. Looking back over her shoulder, she was relieved to see the slightly lighter patch of darkness that marked the doors. Turning forward once again, she cleared her throat. "Excuse me? Does anyone still live in here?" Her voice echoed softly back to her. It was eerie, hearing herself in this cold room.

Squaring her shoulders, she dared to step off of the material and onto the stone flooring. She hissed as the cold penetrated her booted feet. It was colder than she had figured, as if it was a castle of ice instead of stone. Kagome folded her arms, shivering, and began to rub her upper arms in an attempt to create more warmth.

Abruptly, darkness engulfed her. Swallowing, Kagome slowly turned around. She was shrouded in night, and couldn't see anything. All that registered was the fact that she was no longer alone. There was someone else here, someone who most likely owned the castle. Her teeth chattered, and she clenched them to try and stop making noise. She head material shift and heard feet moving towards her. "Hello?" she asked. "I'm sorry to intrude..."

The footsteps stopped. "Who are you? Why are you here?" The owner of the voice held a commanding tone, as if he were used to getting his way. "You have no right to be here."

Kagome nodded, more to herself than the mysterious stranger. "My name is Kagome Higurashii. I was traveling through the forest when my beast and I were attacked by a strange creature. We came upon your castle and fled here to ask for shelter for the night from the demon that hunted us." She hoped that that was enough explaination. She really didn't feel like relating her entire life's story to a complete stranger.

The person let out a sigh. "The master isn't going to like this," he muttered. Kagome probably wasn't supposed to hear that, but had no time to dwell before the voice spoke again. "I'm sorry we can't shelter you for the night. I can, however, give you some provisions to help you out. Just let me get the lights, and we can quickly discuss this."

Kagome was confused at this. What did he mean, master? And why couldn't they shelter her and Buka? She saw no other signs that anyone had been down the dirt path before she had come along. Or were they full up with servants and household workers? That was one possibility, but not very probable. Even if they _were _full up with rooms, they could have offered her floor space to sleep on. This was turning out to be more work that she had first thought.

Light flared as the candles near the door were set blazing. The person from before picked up the holder, and Kagome got her first look at him. His black hair reminded her of Houjo, at first. Then, as she looked harder, she saw that this man wore his hair slicked back somehow. As he strode over to her, she guessed his height at about five eight. Taller than most men she had come across, then. His brown eyes concentrated on her, as if he were afraid to look anywhere else.

He spoke again, his creamy tenor voice soothing and strong. "You really came at a bad time. The master didn't have a very good day, which put him in a bad mood. Not that his mood is much better at the best of times, really, but he's been especially cranky for some odd reason." Kagome watched as his eyes flickered over her shoulder, and he froze. "Shit," he whispered.

Kagome gasped as she felt a clawed hand descend on her shoulder. The voice that spoke sent chills down her spine. "Shit indeed."

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End Chapter

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Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please review! 


	6. Chapter VI

A/N: I promised two chapters, and here is two chapters. Voila! A miracle! Okay, so a little note. The lord may seem a little OOC when you find out who he is (if you haven't already). Ignore that. That's just me on a slight sugar high. Also, I needed more writing stuffs, so I threw in a scene that was suggested from crazy-punk-girl. Okay? Well, this is the shortest author's note I've written yet, so let's just start the chapter.

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Inuyasha had taken time to prepare for this. He was now sporting his best set of shirt and breeches, dyed into a deep lavendar that he was told highlighted his eyes. He was also a nervous wreck. In order to help his appearence, he had even taken one of his rare baths! Now, thoroughly clean and cold, he strode confidently down the lane that lead to his beloved Kagome's house. 

Yes, it was a fine day. Birds were cheering him on as flies tumbled through the air like cheerleaders at a basketball game. Inuyasha whistled softly as his happiness warmed him. Today was the day his, and, no doubt, Kagome's, dreams came true. Today was the day when the world would bow down to him and part way for him and his soon-to-be wife. Today was the day he asked, and was granted, Kagome's hand in marriage.

Nothing could possibly bring him down! As he walked up to the small cottage and knocked gently on the door, he could feel Lady Luck praising him for his fine choices in life. Of course, he owed Miroku some credit. After all, it was the pervert's idea. And what a genious he was! When Inuyasha was done, he was going to buy Miroku the best damn women he could get his hands on.

The door opened and revealed Kagome's father, red-eyed and frowning. Inuyasha swept into an elaborate bow he had learned from watching Kenshin and other -choice- villagers. Kagome's father cleared his throat. "Wha' brings yeh all th' way o't 'ere, In'yasha? I thinked ye didn' care t' walkin' long roads."

Inuyasha straightened and began the speech he had been working on since early that morning. "Good sir, it is true that travel bores me. However, I come for good reason. I have traveled this great distance to seek, from you, the hand of Lady Kagome. It would please me greatly if I could be granted your permission to marry your lovely daughter." Inuyasha then flashed one of his trademark smiles, the one that got women swooning after him.

"No."

Inuyasha blinked. "Oh, good sir, what do you mean? Pray, tell."

Kagome's father glared at Inuyasha. "I means wha' I means. Kag'me is meh daugh'er. Uv alrea'y promised 'er t' a good friend o' me, name o' Naraku. Good man, tha'. Surry, but ye're outta luck, boyo." With that, he slammed the door shut to a stunned, and thoroughly rebuked Inuyasha.

And he had spent so long getting ready.

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Kagome froze as the voice continued to speak. "Yuusuke, I do believe I told you to not let anyone in under any circumstances." The voice was a low growl, frighteningly similar to the growl of the creature from earlier in the night. "When I give orders, I expect them to be obeyed." The hand on Kagome's shoulder tightened almost painfully so. "I don't expect to have insults spat out to some bitch that strolls into my domain!" 

Kagome could see the man, Yuusuke, cringe. "I'm sorry, but it's true. I can't help but speak the truth, right?" A rumbling growl echoed off the walls, giving the illusion that there was a pack of wolves somewhere in the vacinity. "She was only looking for shelter, and I turned her down. She was just about to leave."

"With provisions, you said." Kagome winced as the nails began to bite into her shoulder. "I do believe that can count as treason. Is that what you wanted?" Yuusuke had paled at that. "No? Then why were you helping some theif get a free trip to look around? Maybe, steal something? Like a flower, or mirror?" With each question, Kagome saw the man in front of her pale more and more. "Theives are to be punished by death upon sight."

Kagome realized that the man behind her was talking about her. "Wait just a minute!" she screamed, turning to face a tall, dark shadow. Her anger getting the better of her, she continued. "I have done absolutely nothing to warrent a death sentence. I'm no theif! I was looking for a safe place to stay after being chased by...something!" She threw the hand on her shoulder back to it's owner, while the man was still startled at her outburst. Apparently he wasn't used to being talked back at. Kagome wasn't used to taking hold of situations like these in such a manner, but this was the person that threatened an innocent woman to death at a whim. "Further, it's proper to introduce yourself to a lady. Especially one who has just fought for her life and won it by some damned good luck."

She heard Yuusuke stiffle a laugh. Apparently _he _had never heard a woman swear. Which meant he had never met Kikyo or any of the other village women. "You think you're all high and mighty, don't you? With your fancy cobblestones and big house. Let me tell you something, good _sir_," she said sarcastically. "This is the most unimpressive house I have ever seen in my entire life." Okay, so it was a little lie. Kagome wasn't about to admit that, yes, she had been impressed and, yes, the entire layout was fancier than anything she had ever seen in her life. "I've seen Buka have better dwellings than this!"

The stranger, who must've been about six and a half feet tall, snapped out of his stupor. "You dare talk back to me, ungrateful bitch!" he snarled. "How dare you insult me and my home? You have no right to say anything about things you don't know about." Kagome saw a shadow move as he raised his hand. Years of the instinctual action that came from years of the same sort of treatement from her father kicked in and Kagome ducked a slap intended for her. She heard the air whistle above her head as the man's hand swept over her. This surprised him again, and Kagome took advantage of that.

Kagome narrowed her eyes. Taking the hand that, mercifully, held her book, she took her own swing at him. She was able to hit him square in the face. A gasp of surprise came from both men in the room, shocked that a _woman _would _dare _strike a man. And a powerful, wealthy one at that! Breathing deeply, Kagome addressed the man. His head was turned to the side from the slap he had recieved, and candle-light lit up wide eyes. "Don't you dare hit me. I've had more abuse in my life than I care to stand for, and I won't take any, _any_, from an ass-hole like you!"

Turning, she stormed past Yuusuke, who followed her with his shocked gaze, and out into the lighter darkness. False dawn was approaching quickly, and Kagome could feel weariness pulling at her. Shrugging it off, for she needed to make it through the forest still, Kagome untied Buka and began to lead him back down the path.

She got as far as the gate before she froze. Not like when she had been trapped by that demon, but as if something wasn't letting her leave. The same force that prevented the hunter from following her and Buka wasn't letting them go. That just furthered Kagome's anger. She knew, somehow, that the only reason she couldn't leave was because the lord of the castle didn't give her permission. Grounding her teeth in frustration, she turned back to the castle. She made sure that Buka couldn't leave, either, before dropping the lead rope and making her way back to the looming palace. As a small act of revenge, she made sure that she trod on any plot of land she came across. If there were any plants there, they would be dead by the time the sun rose fully.

She strode up the stone steps, back into the dark hallway with the threadbare runner, and stopped short of the lord and Yuusuke. Both were talking in hushed whispers, Yuusuke's voice sounding desperate and the lord's, annoyed. Her hands were fisted at her side as she took in a deep breath. "You damned bastard, I demand you let me leave!"

Both talkers stopped and turned. Kagome noticed that the man, who she now assumed was the lord of the castle, had long, flowing hair that probably reached at least down to his waist. Yuusuke still held the candles, but the light was falling the wrong way for Kagome to get a glimpse at the lord. As she fumed, Yuusuke discreetly exited, leaving Kagome and the lord to deal with each other alone.

"What's the matter, trouble leaving?" The lord's voice was full of sarcasm, and Kagome knew that he knew that she knew that she couldn't leave without his say-so. "I do believe that it is proper for a woman to speak when spoken to. Or are my manners a little out of date? I could have sworn that nothing like that has changed."

Kagome clenched and unclenched her fists. He was playing with her! "You...you..."

The lord laughed. "Trouble speaking, too. I do believe that is a sign that the speaker is feeble minded. Or was it love-struck?" He put a hand to his chin and made a sound of thinking. "No, it was feeble-minded."

Kagome couldn't believe this man! As the sun began to rise and light up the hall, it still didn't quite reach where the lord stood. "How dare you say that? I have more brains in a single finger than you do in your entire castle!" For emphasis, Kagome raised her pinky. "You're so full of yourself, I'm surprised you haven't already exploded." Kagome saw him shift into a position that screamed 'don't-go-there'. Kagome ignored it. "And your a coward. At least I'm not afraid of a little light."

Kagome heard him growl dangerously again. "You think you know everything, do you?" He took a small step towards the light, then retreated again. Kagome smirked in triumph momentarily. "I have good reason to not want to go out in the sun. None of them have to do with being afraid."

Kagome smiled. "You see? I was right, wasn't I? You're probably some fat, balding old geezer that doesn't want a pretty little thing like me to leave. Oh, dear, is the little old man getting angry?" Kagome mocked in a baby-ish voice. The lord had started to growl again, warningly. "Oh, I'm so afraid of a growl! Help! I'm going to die by growl!" Kagome laughed, but it was short lived.

Faster than she could blink, she was face to face with the mysterious lord. Her eyes widened. The hair she had noticed before was white, and suggested old age. Until you looked past that and actually _saw _him. He was as tall as Kagome had predicted, looming over her like an adult does a young child. His skin was as pale as Kikyo's, and held less warmth than hers, if it could be believed. The clothing he sported was made from expensive silks modeled into a sleeveless tunic and calf-high breeches. Both garments allowed his developed muscles to show through, telling all who saw that he didn't lack in that department. His feet were clad in silk slippers, and his entire outfit was as white as his hair. What made Kagome's eyes widen was the fact that he sported two large, fairly fuzzy fox ears at the top of his head. A smoothly furred tail swished behind him angrily. He would have been the best looking man in the world, if Kagome hadn't looked into his eyes.

Molten pools of liquid gold gazed at her. They were beautiful if you didn't look too deeply. They were as hard as the stone Kagome stood on, and twice as cold. There was an emotion in them that told Kagome's instincts that this man was a born predator. His stern face was masklike as his eyes seemed to pierce into Kagome's very soul. After what seemed like an eternity, he smiled. A smile that held blood-lust and rage. Fangs gleamed in the sunlight. "What's the matter, wench? Kitsune got your tongue?"

Kagome opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She didn't move as he reached for her, a clawed hand grasping her upper arm. She didn't do anything as he forcefully led her down a series of corridors and stairwells. Kagome just couldn't do anything but follow like a docile little lamb. Even her thoughts were frozen, except for one. 'Oh gods, I'm in a demon's castle.' That one thought kept circling around itself, never changing.

She absently heard a door open, though it sounded far away, as if it were a shout from her father while she was in the field, working. She listened to the lord tell her something, yet didn't hear it. "This is your new home. I do hope you find it to your liking." The voice registered as a sadistic purr, right before Kagome was shoved and locked into a cell.

Kagome sat against the far wall and waited momentarily for all of the past few hours to sink in. She made a mental list so as not to forget anything, and went over it aloud. "One, I was awoken in the middle of the night to find a demon-thing hunting Buka. Two, said demon-thing turned on me. Three, the flight through the forest. Then the castle, then Yuusuke, the lord, not being able to get out, and finding out the lord is a demon. Can't forget getting locked into a tower cell with one small window and absolutely nothing else." Kagome shook her head.

Shrugging, and figuring she had nothing better to do, she began to ponder the lord. Very good looking lord. As soon as Kagome got past the fact that he could, and probably would, murder someone completely innocent for the fun of it, she considered his appearence. What was he afraid of? With a body like that, he could probably round up every woman from here to Peru for his own personal harem.

And then there was the fact of his ears. Kagome smiled at that. The ears looked so soft and fuzzy, she just wanted to pet them! How dangerous could you be when you had puppy-like ears on the top of your head? In Kagome's book, that just about negated everything malicious about him. It was like dealing with an angry kitten. You just couldn't stay mad at it, because it was too damned cute!

Kagome stopped her thinking when she realized something. He said he was a fox demon. That thing that chased her was probably a demon. Demon two could hear her and Buka make their way through the forest from a good distance, which went to say that demon one had just as good, if not better, hearing. Which meant that if Kagome started to yell and make a big fuss, demon one wouldn't get any rest.

There was only one way to prove that theory.

"You goddamn bastard!" she howled. "How dare you lock me up in here! You had better release me, or so help me, I'll sick my brother on you. He's a fine fighter, too. And my father will come after you, you hear me? He has powerful allies, and if his precious daughter doesn't come home then he's going to be very cross. I bet you weren't counting on that little detail, were you?"

Kagome smiled as a loud shout responded. "Shut up, you damn bitch! You're a prisoner, and you aren't supposed to be talking! You're supposed to be crying and mourning the loss of your freedom." Kagome stood up. If he thought that she was going to obey some unwritten prisoner ettiquette, he was sorely mistaken. Kagome had always prided herself on her voice. It could carry far, and was loud when the time was right.

Time to make him regret throwing her in there.

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End Chapter

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Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please review! 


	7. Chapter VII

A/N: Well, here's the seventh chapter. Hm, it's already been a week, has it? Farther than I thought it'd be. Well, as soon as I'm done posting this, methinks I should work on ACE. Need to get that a new chapter, eh? Okay, just a few notes about this chapter. If there are any characters that are OOC, please let me know so I can go back and fix it. As for Yukina, who shows up later, she is supposed to be directly from Japan. This story takes place in France, so she'll have a different set of actions that go more with japan, 'kay? Also, she uses honorifics for people, so I'll mention them quickly.

Okay, she says stuff about the Toguro bros., but she calls them Ani-Toguro-san and Ototo-Toguro-san. That would be Elder Toguro (Ani-Toguro) and Younger Toguro (Ototo-Toguro). She also uses -sama when referring to the lord, which means 'sir' or 'lord'. -San she uses for Kagome, which is just the equivilant of 'Miss', 'Mrs.', and 'Mr.' all in one for convinience. Does that help some of you?

regretfully-yours-Cassy-chan: Randomness rules! I do like that movie, though I haven't seen it in ages. In my mind, I can picture just about anything. Really. As far as anime stuff goes, I can picture Hiei and Kurama singing in a band to Linkin Park songs. If that isn't wierd, I'll figure out something else! XD

Black Hands: Yessir! Or madam? I don't know, so how about I say 'Hai, sempai-sama!'?

Moondust Fireflash: Well, that's the beauty of my story. Literally. Thanks for calling it origional, but by the time I get done with it, it is going to be completely mutilated and I'm most likely going to be killed by my reviewers. XP Just a little peek of what my twisted mind is coming up with.

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Four hours and a sore throat later, Kagome was still shouting, standing in front of her cell door. "And another thing! This cell is filthy! You'd think that keeping it clean would be a major priority, wouldn't you! I mean, think of the hygiene! I swear there are rats and all sorts of creepy crawlies up here. And cobwebs! What kind of castle tower has _cobwebs_? As soon as I get out of here, I'm filing a complaint! That's right. I'll get all of those people that are obsessed with tall, dark and not-so-handsome rich bastards to get over here and put a woman's touch into this place! It's pathetic!"

Her throat was sore, she was running out of things to say, and she was dying of thirst. Besides that, though, Kagome was feeling quite proud of herself. She didn't doubt the fact that the lord of the castle could hear everything she said, and she took pride in the thought that she was most likely driving him insane with her yelling. She took a moment to swallow, wetting her mouth slightly, before taking a breath to continue. She didn't expect the door to open in front of her.

Kagome shouted and jumped back, falling onto the ground and hitting her elbow awkwardly. Shaking her head, she looked up. She had been expecting the lord, or even Yuusuke. She certainly wasn't expecting a young woman. The woman was an odd creature, sporting baby blue hair and bubblegum pink eyes. Her outfit was an oddly cut blouse that might have been red at some point, but was so faded from washing that it had become a sort of off pink. Her skirt was a deep purple tone that looked like it was made of cotton. It flowed with the girl as she moved, hugging her curves nicely and obviously attracting the attention of any man that laid eyes on her. Her voice was higher than an alto, but lower than a soprano as she spoke with a foreign accent.

"Why, hello there! My name is Botan, and I'm here to bring you an offer from the master." She held out a delicate hand. Kagome took it, expecting to have her hand shaken, and noticed it was much softer than her own. She let out a small 'eep' as she was pulled to her feet with the help of the girl, now known as Botan. "Here's the deal. If you stop shouting, then the master has said that you can stay as long as you work. You don't work, and you are going to be thrown into the forest with little more than the clothes on your back."

Kagome blinked. "You mean he was finally getting tired of all of the things I said?" Kagome took her golden book, as it was dubbed a few moments before in her mind, and cradled it in her arms. "I can stay here? What about my family? They will really be worrying about me, and I just can't leave them without Buka. He helps my brother do his chores." Why Kagome was defending the very man who had beaten her many times in her not-so-distant past was beyond her.

Botan, smiling and nearly bouncing with energy, said, "There's not much that can be done about your family. See, there's this curse. I'm really not supposed to tell you about it unless you pledge your allegiance to the master, but I can tell you a little. This curse that's stuck to all of us, it means that we can't leave without permission. Call it an obedience thing," she laughed.

Kagome raised an eyebrow. What was wrong with this girl? It was like she was happy she was under a curse! "You mean to tell me that the only way I can get out of this cell is if I promise to work for that arrogant son of a bitch for the rest of my life?" Botan nodded. "Hell no! He insulted me, called me a thief, and threatened to kill me! Then he threw me into a cell just because I tried to leave!"

Botan raised her hands. "Calm down, the master really didn't mean that. He just gets a bit -touchy, you could say. He's not a bad master, either. As long as you stay off his bad side. And look at it this way; if you work here, you get room and board, plus you learn secrets that only the staff knows. Not to mention the rooms to explore, the garden in the summer time..."

Kagome shook her head. "There's only one way I would consider that, and that was if I could see my friends once again." Her head drooped. "I mean, I really didn't get a chance to say goodbye to them. My father forced me to go into the forest, and I wasn't able to tell Houjo, Kenshin and Kaoru where I was going. I miss them." She didn't mention the fact that she missed her kid brother, too, regardless of the fact that he treated her almost like her father. He wasn't abusive or anything, just didn't accept the fact that she was just as smart, if not more so, than he was. She had practically raised him, after all.

Botan cocked her head to the side and seemed to be listening. Or thinking intently, it was hard for Kagome to tell. "There may be a way, but it'd take some convincing. Or, rather, some clever and fast thieving. But I think he'd be willing to help you out, if that's your only condition." Botan straightened and addressed Kagome. "What do you say? Is it a deal?" She held out her hand again.

Kagome weighed her choices. She really didn't know what Botan was talking about. Thieving? He? Nevertheless, she began to weigh the pro's and con's of servitude. On the one hand, she could be sure she would never become hungry or lack a place to sleep again. On the other, she would be working for an arrogant ass. Then there was the fact that she would find out some things that had been eating at her curiosity. But she wouldn't see her friends or family again. She still had Buka with her, who was more of a friend to her than anything else since she had never really been able to go to market more than once every week or so. She wouldn't be able to run through open fields again. Or just sleep in on cold, winter mornings. She supposed it all came down to the fact of whether or not she wanted to find out more about the curse.

Curiosity killed the cat was the saying her mother always told her. Her reply had always been that she was glad she was human, then. Why break tradition now, when she hadn't for so long? Making her decision, Kagome took Botan's hand. "I do believe we have ourselves a deal, Miss Botan."

Botan smiled brighter than she had before. "Wonderful. Now, come with me!" Not letting go of Kagome's poor hand, she began to pull the raven-haired ex-prisoner out of the room and down a spiral staircase. "Now, there are a few things to know. There aren't really any dress codes, so you can wear whatever you feel like you can work in. Right now, you'll be working with Yukina on Keiko's orders. You address the master as 'sir' or 'lord', and anyone else by their first name. Keiko runs the household and will be putting everything together for your new room and wardrobe. Yukina will tell you anything else you need to know, including things about the castle and the curse."

Kagome began to get dizzy. They had broken out of the staircase somewhere around the dress-code part of the speech, and were now traipsing across monstrous halls and past large, closed doors. Kagome tried to keep up with Botan while remembering the way that they were going, but soon gave up when she tripped and almost fell on her face. She had never, in her entire life, imagined that one woman could be so chipper. It was against nature to be this happy, yet Botan was breaking the law and getting away with it.

As Botan concluded her speech, they came up to a small chamber door. It had a regular iron door handle and was made, like all of the others, out of some dark colored wood. Botan opened the door without regard for the occupants inside with a flourish. "Yukina!" she called in a singsong voice. "I've got a new recruit for you, straight from the outside world."

Kagome blinked. What was it with people and odd-colored hair here? So far, the only person Kagome had met with a normal hair color was Yuusuke. This new woman had sea-green hair that she kept back in a ribbon. Her eyes were red, suggesting she was also a demon. However, Kagome wasn't worried. This young woman's eyes held no malice or hatred in them at all. Much the opposite, in fact. her eyes were innocent and naive, much like Houjo's eyes were. Kagome's eyes were drawn to her outfit, for she had never seen the like. It was some sort of light green robe, tight enough that it would be horribly difficult to run in. The sleeves were almost blouse-like, except they dropped down to her knees. Her feet were clad in white stockings that were split into two parts, and sandals that stood about an inch off the floor. The dress-robe-thing was held in place by a thick strip of blue cloth running width-wise around her stomach. As she stood gracefully, Kagome was able to see that it tied into a bow at the back.

Her voice was soft and shy as she spoke. "Hello, Botan-san," she addressed the bubbly maiden. She turned to Kagome then, bowing with her hands folded in front of her. "It is nice to meet you." Kagome was slightly impressed by this girl, Yukina. She obviously wasn't from around here, probably not even from the same continent. Yet, she had a wonderful grasp of the language and culture it seemed.

She said as much, which made Yukina blush. "I really had a lot of time to practice--"

Kagome then realized that neither of them knew her name. "Oh, how clumsy of me. My name is Kagome Higurashii, from the village on the other side of the forest. It's nice to meet you, too, Yukina." Kagome turned to say the same to Botan, but the energetic whirlwind had blown away somewhere in between their introductions. That was a feat in and of itself, she hadn't made a single noise and she had been right next to Kagome the entire time.

Yukina smiled shyly. "Botan-san usually does that. Please, don't mind her." She lifted a hand and swept it out towards a chair. "Would you like to take a seat, Higurashii-san, and I can help you get settled?" Kagome blinked, but made her way to the offered chair. More of a stool, unpadded and lacking a back. However, it wasn't circle like the one at her home. "What would you like to know, or would you like me to show you what you'll be helping with?"

Kagome looked up. "Well, I'd really like to know more about the castle," she said, looking around. The room was furnished sparingly, with hardly anything obstructing the floor. There were a few scattered stools similar to the one Kagome was sitting on around the small room. A fireplace stood on one end of the room, empty for the moment. There was one set of windows opposite the fireplace, letting in streamers of sunlight to brighten the otherwise dank room. Kagome watched as Yukina took a place, not on a stool, but on a strange mat made of an unknown type of wood.

Yukina sat on her knees before addressing Kagome again. "I hope that you are comfortable, Higurashii-san. It is not a short story, but it will take some time to tell. You may find yourself regretting an uncomfortable position by the time I get about half-way through the tale. Are you ready?" Kagome shifted a little, then nodded.

"Alright. Quite a long time ago, probably close to or over one hundred years, the lord of this castle was turning eighteen." Kagome gaped at that, but held her tongue. Yukina didn't notice, or chose to ignore the shocked look on Kagome's face, as she continued. "For story purposes, I will use his true name of Youko Kurama-sama. So, Youko-sama was turning eighteen. His parents had died a while back, and so he was the overlord of the entire region. To give you an idea, his property ran from beyond your village to beyond the town you were heading to. His parents had never had a hand in his growing up, so he was spoiled and cruel. He had been running the palace unofficially for years, even before his parents had passed away. The only significance of his eighteenth birthday was that he was now the official ruler."

She took a breath and continued. "There was to be a giant celebration in his honor. We, that is to say, the household servants, were preparing for the ball that was to be held that night. A storm had been brewing earlier in the day, and finally broke an hour before sunset. There had been a knock on the door not even ten minutes after the downpour began, and it was answered by the doorman. An old woman had come upon the castle and asked for shelter from the rain. She was brought in front of Youko-sama, and offered a single rose as payment. Youko-sama scoffed at her before throwing her out into the night. She turned and told him that pretty appearances were only on the surface, and that true beauty was found within. He told her that if she didn't stop mucking up his castle and taking up his time that he would put her to death."

Kagome gasped. Hadn't that been what had happened with her? Yukina kept telling the story, and Kagome turned her attention back to her. "The old woman turned to him and Youko-sama laughed. He told her that if she wanted to glare, she had better find a more productive way of doing it. He closed his eyes for a moment, and there was a flash of light. Where the old woman stood, a young priestess now presided. She was breathtaking to behold, beautiful both to the men and women of the castle. When she spoke, her voice sounded like wind chimes in a light breeze. She told a shocked Youko-sama that she had seen he was unfit to rule. He was no better than the demons that lived in Hell itself, and as such, he would pay the price for his arrogance and cruelty. Without further ado, she cursed him."

"He tried to beg forgiveness, but she would have none of it. She told him that he would live out the rest of his life as a demon, unless he could find a way to break the spell. Youko-sama begged her to tell him how to get rid of it, how to break the curse that had befallen the castle. He must have looked thoroughly miserable, for she told him. She said that from that day forth, anyone who entered the castle could not pass the walls without his permission. He himself could leave when he chose, but he would never be able to leave the forest. Half of the staff would share his curse as a demon, and the other half would be immortal. To make sure that none of us killed ourselves to escape, she laid a second curse that said none of us could harm a living being without suffering. Even hitting someone would give us a headache that was almost as bad as a hangover."

"Then she said that the only way to break the curse was for Youko-sama to fall in love, and earn that person's love in return. There were conditions placed on him that made it impossible to have him use any of the staff to break the curse. They could not be from the castle. They had to learn to see past his demonic form, into his very heart. And they had to be human. That made Youko-sama howl with rage, but the priestess wasn't finished. She also handed him a budding rose. She told him that it would bloom until he was the equivalent of a twenty-year-old demon. After that, it would begin to fade with each passing day, completely dying on his twenty-first birthday, or the demon equivalent. If he could not earn love by then, he and his underlings would remain cursed to live forever in the forest."

"After that, she disappeared. The staff tried to flee, but her word was as good as ever. None of us could leave, and Youko-sama wasn't going to give permission any time soon. The forest darkened that night, filling with strange creatures that went after anyone who tried to find us. We were completely isolated, and there was nothing we could do about it. We began to adjust, those of us turned into demons getting used to our new abilities and the immortal people getting used to the fact that they didn't need to consume food anymore. We lived in hiding for years, until a small group of people-turned-demon appealed to Youko for them to try and find a suitable candidate to break the curse. Youko-sama gave them permission, and they set off. For days they heeded the word of the priestess, not wandering out of the dark forest."

"Then they began to lose hope. Nobody was coming into the forest anymore, and they needed to find someone for their lord. They tried to leave. The curse wouldn't let them, but it didn't stop there." Yukina took a shuddering breath, and then picked up where she had left off. "Something changed them, then. They weren't just demons, now. They were Hell's messengers, there to prey on any who would try and near the castle. The demon that attacked you was called Bui-san. There are three others out there besides him, none of which can die. Karasu-san scours the skies of the forest as a demon crow, Ani-Toguro-san was turned into some sort of water dweller to patrol the rivers and streams." Kagome blessed her mind for thinking to bring her own water when she heard that. "Ototo-Toguro-san became a tree-dweller, spying on the borders to make sure nobody enters the forest without their knowledge." Yukina grew silent as the story drew to a close.

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End Chapter

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Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please review! 


	8. Chapter VIII

A/N: XP I'm sorry it took so long to update. I was gone all day for Wednesday and Thrusday, then there was no power on Friday. Well, there was a little, but by the time I found out, I only had an hour or so to write. ACE needed an update more than this one, so it took first priority.

It also didn't help that I was getting a little stuck here. I fixed it, though, so now we can move along. For all of you Youko fans, I needed another scene here. He took center mike, if you will, and so there is a little scene from his point of view here. Pay attention to how he feels versus Kagome towards the end of the chapter, class. There will be a quiz later.

Kitsune Kagome: I'm a naturally negative person, that's why. Thank you for calling my writing beautiful and magnificent, though. Makes me feel a whole lot more confident.

mizushoubai: Why, thank you!

inkuramaRmine: I like them too, so it's all good! XD

Black Hands: I didn't! I think...

crazy-punk-girl: I'm a girl. And I'd die if I had to make it exactly like the movie! It'd be, like, two chapters long with the amount of words I use! I don't mind long reviews, really. It's not like I have much of a life anyways, and reviews are fun to read. I don't know if I have a writing style...I really just switch around depending on the situation. Usually it's just crazy randomness. As to your questions: He's here! He's here! And he has a position already... I don't know about pairings beyond Keiko and Yuusuke. As to the stuff about people in the dust...you'll have to wait and see. I actually am not going to have very many Inuyasha characters here, due to them being the majority in my other story. Need to balance things out somehow. I know I'm missing a _ton _of people, but that's because it's hard for me to juggle a bunch of characters at the same time. I had already planned for Kuro-chan to be in this story from the start. As to writing him...I'm just going to go by the way he's written in various fanfictions I've read. When you say seven warriors, are you talking about Jankotsu, Bankotsu, etc.? I don't think I'm having the jewel, as I don't know what I'd do with it. I like a lot of questions, so feel free to ask as many as you can come up with. I really don't mind them, and they aren't a pain. Your welcome, and thanks for reviewing!

regretfully-yours-Cassy-chan: Cute! I don't know about others, but they make a cute couple. XP Yes, I am a shounen-ai fan. But can you blame me? Really?

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Youko paced in his study. It was a small room, windowless and dark. Night was descending on the forest, darkening even more than it was normally. A fire burned in a small hearth to his left. On his right stood large desk, covered with books and documents from when his father had used this very room. That had been a long time ago, and the parchment showed its age by turning a golden yellow. Old inkwells, the ink having long since evaporated, stood with quills still inserted in them. A mirror reflected the firelight lazily, blinking cheerily as Youko moved about. The only other living thing, besides the young lord, was a blood red rose in a vase on the mantle.

He turned furiously, spinning on the smooth granite floor. His hands were fisted at his side as his mind whirred madly. He had come here to calm his mind down. Instead, his mind moved faster and faster as it centered on the same person. That woman that had come to his home that morning, shattering the peace and routine that had been set in place for years.

How could one woman do so much damage, he wondered. First there had been the fact that she had been driving him insane with all her chattering in the tower. He had thought she wouldn't be smart enough to figure out he had sensitive hearing. After all, why should he? Most of the women _he_ knew couldn't put two and two together to get four. There had been no reason for him to believe that she actually had a brain underneath that black head of hair.

_That's not true, _a part of him whispered. _She spoke as if she had been nobly born. _Youko growled and shoved the voice into the depths of his dark mind. It had no reason to be butting into his business. He reached the wall, and turned to pace to the other end of the room.

Then, of all things to happen to the lord of a wealthy estate, his underlings lectured him. He had just sent Botan to find a way to shut the woman up, when he was ambushed by not only Yuusuke and Hiei, who had been at him to send a kidnapper out into the forest, but his good friend Kuronue, too. They all proceeded to give him a large speech about how that woman was the first human to ever find her way to the castle unharmed. They told him it was fate and that he should try and get her to fall for him.

What a load of shit that was. Of course he knew that she was the first, _only _woman to make it this far without becoming demon food. Of course he knew that he only had a few months until the curse was made permanent. Of course he damned well knew that if he didn't find someone soon, they would all live-forever in the same, goddamned place for the rest of time!

He reached the end of the room and glared at the wall, before turning again. The only problem was that the wench was a short-tempered bitch that didn't see past his demonic form. She probably didn't even want to find out what kind of hell he had been through all these years. It wasn't easy living like this, locked forever in a cage. He had always feared being caged, and had taken good care to maintain his freedom. And then, in the blink of an eye, it was taken from him forever.

Youko reached the wall again and slammed a fist into the stone. The force was so strong that bits of gravel broke off as he held his fist to the wall. Blood slowly trickled from his knuckles and his fingers stun horribly. It did nothing to improve his mood. With a snarl, he ripped his hand back and began to pace again.

He turned his mind to the eye of the storm in his mind. The woman, whatever her name was, caused all of this. It was her fault that he wasn't able to stop thinking about her. It was her fault that he couldn't calm down. It was all her fault that she had not only surprised him not once, but twice.

_And is it her fault you find her immensely attractive? _The voice whispered again. Youko furiously told the voice where to shove it.

He had to make a decision about her, whether he liked it or not. It was a choice between whether he follows the advice of his underlings, or if he kept her where she was and didn't do a thing about the curse. He knew that if he passed up this opportunity, he may not have another chance. Then again, she was _annoying._

Youko's hand shot out and gripped a rope, which had been lying in the shadows by the fireplace. Pulling furiously, he waited. Not too long after, Botan appeared in the doorway. "Go take her to the garden suite," he snapped. Botan hurried away as the irritated lord resumed his pacing.

Why did he get the feeling that he had just sealed his fate?

* * *

Kagome pondered her new information. So far, it began to make sense. The forbidding feeling, that nothing came back, even the strange darkness that coated the land here on the brightest of days. Shaking her head, Kagome sighed. There was one thing that she didn't know at the moment that was eating at her curiosity. "Yukina, can you tell me who here are demons? It's not that I'm prejudiced or anything, but I'm just really curious."

Yukina looked up, seeming to snap out of some memories. "I think I can tell you; everyone. Well, everyone that you will most likely meet, that is." Kagome waited patiently as Yukina put on a thoughtful face. "Okay, let me think for a moment. I'm sure you've already guessed that Kurama-ouji is a kitsune demon." Kagome cocked her head at the strange new word. "Fox. Sorry some of my old home is coming out." Yukina smiled kindly, which Kagome returned. "Then there is me, and I'm an ice koorime."

Kagome wasn't surprised. She had already figured that out when Yukina had begun to tell the story as if she had actually lived it. Which was probably true, Kagome told herself. Her attention snapped back to the ice maiden as she continued to list off a couple people. "Then there is Hiei-nii-san, who is a fire youkai. Also, Ankoku-sama, a chimera, Kiken-san, a wind shinobi, and Mokusei-san, an ice shinobi, I believe that is the names of all of the demons you are most likely going to meet."

Kagome nodded. So, there seemed to be quite a few. Yukina seemed to be waiting for her to make a comment, so she smiled and said, "That's more than I probably would've guessed. What do they do? I mean, like are they in positions here that are directly related to what type of demon they are?"

Yukina shook her head, her hair bouncing from side to side. "No, although that is an idea that never crossed our minds. If you want, I can list off people that you will meet eventually and their positions, if you are curious. I can also tell you a little bit about them. It might help you settle in a little easier."

Kagome wasn't aware of how tense she had been until Yukina mentioned that. Feeling guilty, that she had been so nervous around someone as bubbly as Botan, or as sweet as Yukina, Kagome forced her muscles to relax. "I'd really appreciate that. It would help me prevent from making mistakes."

Yukina's eyes lit up. "Alright, it would be my pleasure. But first, I need to know something from you. Do you sew?" At Kagome's nod, she stood and wandered over to a pile in a far corner. Rummaging through it for a moment, she returned to her mat with a small kit and a few garments. Motioning for Kagome to sit in front of her, she opened the kit. "This is what I do here, for the moment. This is also what Yukimura-san wants you to do, apparently." Kagome moved from her stool to the ground in front of Yukina. Taking an old, worn shirt, she accepted a needle and thread from Yukina.

"Okay," Yukina said as she pulled out her own needle and thread and began to fix a pair of breeches. "Now, first I should tell you a little bit about myself. It's only proper." Kagome smiled at Yukina's mannerisms. She would never, in a million years, be as proper as the young ice maiden. "My full name is Yukina Junketsu. My brother, Hiei-nii-san, and I have different fathers. We are both from a distant land called Nihon. We came here when our world was thrown into war, looking for work. We were hired by Kurama-ouji's parents as personal servants. I served under Kinsei-dono while Hiei-nii-san serves directly under Kurama-ouji."

Yukina didn't miss the odd look that Kagome gave her, but opted to continue. "Then there's Urameshi-sama, and his job is to act as a type of host when people come here. His koibishi, Yukimura-san, acts as head of the servants. They both became immortal when the curse was laid upon us. They also fight a lot, so it's always loud when they become angry at each other. Urameshi-sama's friend, Kazuma-san, acts as a sort of coordinator for social events. He is kind to everyone and will never fight with a woman. The only negative thing about him is that he gets in fights with Urameshi-sama and Hiei-nii-san. He, too, is an immortal. His sister, Kuwabara-san, is a serving maid for the east wing. She keeps her brother in line along with some of the other residents. You know Botan-san. I don't know much about her besides the fact that she helps Yukimura-san sometimes."

Yukina tied off her work and set it aside. Kagome was amazed that she had finished so quickly. Kagome herself was only partway done with a rip in the sleeve she was working on, and it was incredibly smaller than the patch job Yukina had done. Yukina picked up another, just as shabby, tunic and began to repair that. "Ankoku-sama is the stable manager, and if you need to do anything with your donkey, you'll need to see him. He is just about the only person, besides Hiei-nii-san and Yukimura-san, that can stand up to Kurama-ouji and not get punished. I'm sure your companion will love him."

Kagome smiled. Just what she needed, a spoiled ass. Shaking her head, she finally was able to tie off the end of her thread. She used her teeth to neatly clip the string before copying Yukina and starting on a new garment. Yukina waited for her to turn her attention back to the koorime before continuing.

"I think that you'll like Kiken-san. He's the chef, and loves to play with people. The only thing I would warn you about is that he, like Hiei-nii-san and myself, is from another country. His isn't nearly as far, but he has an odd accent he can't seem to get rid of. It makes it difficult to understand him, but that seems to be a positive trait. Then Mokusei-san takes care of the landscape with a few other people. He creates beautiful ice sculptures in the winter months, and that's one thing that everyone here looks forward to."

Kagome smiled. "It sounds like you have a full house here. I look forward to meeting them." Kagome sighed as the conversation wound down. Somehow she knew that when she went to bed, no matter how tired she was she wouldn't fall asleep right away. It was barely noon in the outside world, and she already had more on her mind than she ever had before.

* * *

Kagome and Yukina made their way slowly through the pile of clothing, talking with each other as the day wore on. They were interrupted only once, when someone (whom she later found out was called Taka) dropped off a small lunch of bread, cheese and fruit with a clear spring water to wash it down. It was a small lunch for Kagome, but she enjoyed it in good company.

Thinking that, after the previous events of being thrown in gaol and pledging service to an arrogant bastard, there could be no more surprises for her at the time, fate decided to give her one more shocker. It happened when Botan came to escort Kagome to her room for the night.

Kagome was walking down the large, stone corridor with the blue-haired server next to her. She had been admiring the shadowed statues that flanked them on either side, shivering as the cruel faces flickered with the torchlight, when Botan had cleared her throat hesitantly. Kagome had curiously turned to her, keeping an eye on where they were traveling.

"I'm sure that Yukina told you about us, right?" Kagome nodded. "Well, the master was talking to the staff while you were with Yukina." Kagome didn't like where the conversation was heading, but she kept her mouth shut. "As you know, the person to break the enchantment has to be a human girl." Kagome definitely didn't like where this was going! She was about to answer, when someone stepped out of the shadows. He startled both women, causing them to scream.

When Kagome calmed her pounding heart, she took a good look at him. He stood much shorter than her, by about four inches. His jet-black hair defied gravity, with a white starburst overhanging a white bandana over his forehead. He wore a simple black outfit of breeches and tunic, four white belts being the only color at his waist. His piercing red eyes began to size Kagome up as he stood with his arms folded beside two doors.

Kagome's eyes were drawn to the doorway next. The doors were beautifully carved with roses and ivy plants. They wove in and out of each other in an intricate pattern. Kagome's mouth parted slightly as the firelight danced over the carvings and made them seem like they were moving. It was a magical thing to know that someone had carved this with their own hands. The dark-stained wood added to the effect. If it had been made out of any other material, like stone or metal, the art would have seemed cold and dead. The mahogany panels gave an aura of warmth and light that seemed to sing to anyone who looked upon it.

Botan stepped into Kagome's view and turned the large brass handles to reveal the room beyond. Kagome turned to her and she smiled. "Well, go in already! Take a look around while we're here." The shadow-man hadn't moved at all, so Kagome chose to ignore him. Nothing could have prepared her for the room beyond the shadows, as Botan flurried ahead of her to illuminate the rather large area.

Kagome's eyes widened. Not just from the size, in which she could fit three rooms like her old one in there comfortably and still have room to spare. It was the furnishings that caught her eye, expensive yet elegant. The door had been the foreshadow of the enclosure. All of the material inside the room was a shade of green. The large four-poster bed at the opposite end stood proudly in the arena, covered in dark, forest green coverings. Large velvet curtains hung limply from the bed and window. Open to admit the moonlight. Polished oak gleamed from all points of the room. To the left of the door was a small fireplace. Circled around the opening were two chairs and a lounging couch, all upholstered with the same material as the bedding. A large armoire stood a short distance from the right side of the door, stained a dark, rosy red. A table the same color finished off the room, gracing the middle of the floor on a red carpet made from old rags.

Kagome smiled and turned to tell Botan what she thought of the room. However, like the last time she had been taken somewhere, the bubbly woman had disappeared. Instead, the shadow-man from before stood in front of the doorway. One of the doors had been closed without Kagome's hearing, which effectively blocked her exit.

"What's going on?" Kagome asked. There was that feeling again, one telling her she shouldn't have asked that question. She should have left well off, instead going to relax in the room and enjoying the comforts of a noble. No, she just _had _to find out why she had been brought here, why she was being watched by some stranger like a piece of thick, juicy steak. Damn her curiosity.

The man gave her an icy glare, and Kagome couldn't help but be reminded of Yukina. Was this her brother? His voice was a deep bass as he answered her. "You are the only human wench stupid enough to come here. You are the only hope for us to have our curse broken. Therefore, on Kurama's orders, you are going to be treated like royalty." Kagome opened her mouth to retort, but was cut short. "No, you cannot leave, and I have orders to make sure of that. I've also been told that the only way you _can_ leave is if you agree to dine with Kurama later this evening." He smirked.

Kagome gasped. "What do you mean, I can't leave?" For her answer, the man walked out and closed the door behind him. Kagome ran to the entryway, trying the doorknob only to discover it was locked. She pounded loudly on the door, calling through the thick wood. "Let me go! I was told I would be working if I agreed to stay here, not be shut up in a fancy prison cell! Let me out!" She pounded until her fists began to crack and bleed, on the edge of hysteria.

Finally, she gave up. There was no way she would eat anything in the presence of the son-of-a-bitch prince, no way in hell! Kagome furiously turned away from the door. Now she was trapped, just like she had feared. This was no different than what her father had threatened to do all her life. Kagome was now trapped in a cage, with no way out. Angry tears spilled over her eyes as she walked over to the bed.

Biting her lip, she tried to stop crying. There was no changing her fate, nothing she could do. She tried to tell herself that none of this was her fault, but it didn't work. Not that she thought it would, but it had been worth a shot. She slowly laid herself on the overly large bed, feeling incredibly alone. She curled up and let the flood of sorrow break free. As sleep began to pull her into his arms, Kagome wished with all her might that she had died when the fever had taken her. If she had, then everything would've been right with the world. Everyone would be happy.

And she would have been free to fly.

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End Chapter

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Any questions? Comments? Suggestion? Please review! 


	9. Chapter IX

A/N: T-T I'm sorry, readers. Two reasons why. First is that fanfiction isn't letting writer's answer reviewers. I've signed a petition, but for now... Second is that it took me so long to update. I hit a little roadblock when writing the scene with Kiken-san. First time, but I hope I'm past. The other reason it took so long to update is because I'm having a busy week. It was my birthday yesterday so I wasn't home all day, and monday I was gone, too. Today I'm going to try and update for ACE, too, although I think I updated last weekend. Tomorrow I'm going to be busy, and the same with Friday. Saturday I might have _some _time, so don't expect an update before then.

Okay, so people who had questions/comments. I don't think anyone will be going to the asylum. I thank anyone who read this, and who likes it. I thank anyone who is a shounen-ai fan, and direct them to my favorites page for a couple good stories like I Fell In Love With a Boy and The 13th Hour. I also say to readers that I appreciate you reading, and to let you know that I will _**always**_ read your reviews.

So, for the poll with who should stab the beast: **Kouga: 0 Inuyasha: 2** Don't forget to vote!

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"So...hungry..." Kagome moaned. How long had it been since her last meal? Hours? Days? It seemed like an eternity ago, that night in the forest. Yet the smarter part of her mind told Kagome it couldn't possibly have been more than a day ago, two at the most. Her stomach growled, reminding her that this was the first time she had gone more than a day without _some _type of substance. Even when she had gotten in trouble, her father had never refused her food. And even if he did, Souta would've made sure she had something.

Kagome heard shifting outside the doorway. This was about the third time she had heard what she had labeled 'the changing of the guard'. About once every couple hours (or was it days?) the person standing at the door traded places with another castle member. It appeared that the lord was as good as his word; she really _couldn't_ get out of here unless she agreed to eat with him.

"And that has a snowball's chance in hell of happening," Kagome muttered darkly. There was absolutely no possible way she would eat with that aggressive, ill-mannered, egotistical, pompous...ass! Never, ever, not in a million years! Kagome's mind continued along that line, for a while before her train of thought was interrupted by her stomach protesting lack of nutrition again. Shaking her head, she stood.

There was one way to find out if there really was a guard to her door, after all. Tiptoeing quietly to the wooden blockades, she tested a knob. It was still locked, but that didn't stop Kagome. Somewhere in her distant past, when she had actually had a chance to have a childhood, Kagome had learned to pick locks. It was a fun past time, and had paid off whenever the other children had seen it fit she be locked into a small closet. As they say, old habits die-hard. Kagome could prove this, for she still carried small bits of wire on her person in case she needed to get out of a situation like her current one.

She thanked whatever deity was listening for habits, and pulled out a thin piece of copper wire from on of her sleeves. Eyeing the lock hole thoughtfully, she molded the impressionable object into the right form. Sticking it into the keyhole, she whipped out another wire almost identical to it. With a little work, shifting each wire about before she had them just right, she was soon rewarded with the sound of a soft click.

Smirking with triumph, Kagome straightened both tools and placed them back into their respective locations. Trying the handle on the door again, Kagome nearly cried out in happiness as the door slowly began to turn. She inched the door forward, careful to remember that there could be a person standing directly in front of the argentous object, she peered over the edge.

There was nobody down the left end, so she looked towards the right. That end was just as empty as the other. It confused Kagome, needless to say. Weren't there supposed to be people watching her? Kagome shrugged, not wanting to look a gifted horse in the mouth. Shifting quietly, she stepped out of the room and shut the door behind her. Moving like a shadow, she began to follow her nose.

The staff had obviously been preparing something. By using her sense of smell, Kagome was able to locate the kitchen area with little fuss, getting lost only once. The hustle and bustle of the room called to her, followed by a pang of homesickness. It sounded too much like marketing day for Kagome's state of mind. However, she was still ravenous. After a moment of preparation, she opened the small wooden door and stepped into the insanity.

Her jaw dropped at the sight. It seemed like the entire staff was crowded into the room, demon and immortal alike. Plates flew from a basin on one end of the room to a person who dried them on the other. Then they were tossed into the air, where they miraculously flew into a small cabinet overhead. Kagome saw a chicken being disemboweled in the center of the fray, and turned away hastily. There were wonders enough to distract her from the sight. People moved about with the ease of a rapidly running river, creating endless noise but not disturbing anything outside their tiny kingdom. Kagome edged around the outside of the mess, keeping her back to the wall.

She hadn't thought anyone had seen her, until someone shouted. "Oi, who let you in 'ere, lass?" Actually, it was said so fast, and with a thick accent, that to Kagome it sounded more like "Oyu leyuiner, lass," than anything else. Kagome looked around for the voice, confused. Nobody had seen her here, she was sure of it! The proof was right in front of her, as nobody on the ground had stopped their chores. The plates still flew, the organized chaos still continued.

"Up 'ere, then!" the voice commanded. Kagome looked up skeptically, and all at once it clicked. Floating above her, quite clearly not being supported from anything, sat a demon. Kagome registered flying red hair, horns and fangs before she squealed and ducked. The voice laughed cheerily and Kagome covered her head. "No'in' t'be 'fraid uf, now." A shadow descended on her, and Kagome could see two bare feet stood in her line of view.

Kagome looked up cautiously, and then chided herself for assuming things. As she got a good look at the stranger, she noticed that her first impression had been wrong. The red hair reached just above his shoulders, matted and unkept. He did posses a horn, but it was small and sat somewhere under his thick head of hair. He also had fangs, but they were neither malicious nor dripping with saliva. His almost-but-not-quite-violet eyes held no anger or resentment. Instead, they were filled with prank ideas and mischievous plans. His guard was different than other castle staff, too. He wore white breeched that cut off just past his calf, leaving his feet bare. He had no shirt, instead opting to not have sleeves in the way of his work. He wore a sort of armguard on each limb for an unknown reason. His voice was a low alto that reminded her of her brother. Kagome stood up slowly, embarrassed at her reaction. Dusting off her skirt, she held out a hand. "Sorry about that. My name is Kagome."

The red haired demon smiled. "I knew tha' un. 'Avun't seen yer face 'round 'ere ever." Seeming to just remember he was addressing a lady, he took her hand and planted a soft kiss on it. "Me name's Jin Kiken, an' I'm head o' this 'ere room." He smiled, still holding her hand. Kagome flushed and jumped when Jin was cuffed in the back of his head.

This time the person was female. She was a long haired brunette with brown eyes that were the same shade as dirt. Tall and giving the aura of annoyance, she wore a white blouse and homespun woolen skirt proudly. Her strong hands were on her hips, sleeves rolled up to her elbow on either arm. Water droplets decorated her shirt and part of her skirt, suggesting she was either a dishwasher or a launder. Kagome guessed the former as the new woman began to give Jin a dressing-down. Her rough voice was pleasant to the ear, even if it was somewhat lower than most of the women Kagome had met.

Kagome turned her attention to the speech as the woman began to wind down. "...want to be stuck with all of the work. Again. Now you can run along and have your pretty little ass go and fix something for this young lady." Jin mock saluted her before leaping into the air, flying to the other end of the room in moments.

Kagome's eyes widened. Hadn't Yukina said that they couldn't just people without experiencing excruciating pain? This just didn't make sense! Her jaw dropped and she looked wide-eyed at the woman. Brown met brown as their eyes met, and the woman smiled slightly. Clearing her throat, she nodded her head to Kagome.

"You must be the new kid. My name is Shizuru Kuwabara." Kagome opened her mouth to ask her about the whole violence scene that had just passed and was cut off. "I know what you're going to ask. Why did I hit him when we all have that damn curse on us?" Kagome nodded mutely, closing her mouth with a click. "After you've lived as long as I have, and had to keep the boys in line, you get used to having pounding migraines on a daily basis." She laughed heartily.

Kagome smiled shyly. Shizuru was passed a plate and goblet from a young demon before, he scuttled off. She handed it to kagome, then took her arm. "Come on, you must be hungry." She brought Kagome to a small corner and set her down with her food. "It's not much, but at least it'll get you by. You just sit here and eat, and then I'll have my brother bring you back to your room afterward." Kagome looked down at her food as Shizuru went off to yell at the hyper wind demon again.

Kagome dug into her small but filling meal of sweet meat, bread and fruit. The watered-down wine tasted expensive and refreshing to someone who was used to cheap liquor and water. As she ate, Kagome watched the hustle-and-bustle of the kitchen, particularly enjoying the show of abilities from the demons. Her favorite was the person she called Dusk. He had dark skin and even darker hair, and liked to scurry around the shadows and clean the floor. He used his own hands for that, shifting them into a type of sponge before one of the other people threw water on the stone flooring. Then he would run back and forth, his sponge-hands soaking up the water and lifting the stains. After his hands became saturated with water, he would hurry over to the tub of wash-water and squeeze them out before repeating.

Kagome quickly polished off the last crumbs of her meal, feeling satisfied and awake. She politely waited until she was approached by another immortal. The man was tall, somewhere between the height of the lord and that of Yuusuke. He had messy, unkept orange hair that was kept in the oddest style Kagome had seen in her life. High cheekbones protruded from his thin face with small, beady blue eyes. He wore a bright blue tunic over a cream shirt, with blue breeches and boots. His voice was rough and unfinished as he introduced himself as Shizuru's brother.

"My lady," he began, his sparkling eyes scaring Kagome slightly. "I am the great Kazuma Kuwabara, here to escort your lovely-ness to her room." He held out an arm, bowing with the oddest look on his face. Kagome hesitated, debating on whether or not he was coming onto her or not. She was saved from that decision when Yuusuke appeared next to him and knocked him over.

Kuwabara went down with a yelp, then bounced right back onto his feet. "What was that for, Urameshi?" Kagome looked back and forth between them, trying to figure out their relationship together. They sounded like a pair of feuding brothers. "I was just about to bring Miss Higurashi to her room!"

Yuusuke blinked and seemed to just notice that Kagome was there. His eyes lit up, and he exclaimed, "Hey! You're that woman from before!" He smirked and swept into a mocking bow. "I'm ever so sorry for my manners, milady," he said sarcastically. "However, my idiot friend here distracted me with his loud mouth and even louder shirt."

Kagome lifted and hand to hide her smile. She shook her head when Kuwabara began to yell at Yuusuke for the insult. "I am not an idiot! Besides, you should know better than to address a lady like that. Where's your honor, ya punk?" Kuwabara adjusted his stance into a fighting one, raising fists against Yuusuke.

Yuusuke casually shoved his hands into his brown breech pockets. "My honor, huh? I dunno, must've left it somewhere in the stable yard." Kagome laughed and Yuusuke looked at her. His eyes were filled with mischief and humor as he winked at her. "Where's _your _honor, baka?" he addressed the carrot-haired menace. "Isn't it rude to keep a _lady_ waiting?"

Kuwabara tried to growl, but it came out in a strangles gargle. "I'm not! I was just offering her a protective arm when you budged into my business!" He tried to charge Yuusuke, but ended up punching air. Faster than Kagome had thought, Yuusuke was occupying the chair opposite her.

"What are you doing? Practicing your blows on harmless air?" Yuusuke leaned back, tipping his chair onto two legs. "Besides, what would Yukina think?" Kagome watched as Kuwabara turned beet red. "I thought you liked her. What would she think if she found you flirting with a new woman, hm?"

Kagome decided to intervene before the two boys attacked each other. Kuwabara already looked ready to murder his friend, and Kagome didn't want to feel responsible for the death of two people on her shoulders. Standing, she clasped her hands together and brought both men's attention to her. "Not that this isn't entertaining, but is there anything else to do around here?" Both men looked away guiltily, as if they knew things she didn't.

Kuwabara cleared his throat. "I'm supposed to take you to your room. If you want to follow me...?" He swept an arm towards the door, but Kagome had other plans. Apparently Yuusuke picked up on them as Kagome formed them, for he rose and eyebrow but otherwise did nothing.

Kagome pouted. "But my room is so _boring_," she whined. Yuusuke laughed at Kagome's attempts at being a spoiled brat, but quickly turned them into coughs as Kuwabara glanced at him. Kagome stepped forward slightly, keeping her head bowed and peering up through her eyelashes. "I'm sure you know _all _about this castle, don't you?" she purred. "Couldn't you take me on a little, itty bitty tour?" she asked.

Kuwabara struck an odd pose at Kagome's flattery, before swiping a thumb across his nose. "Well, you _are _right. I know everything about this place, more than _Urameshi_." Yuusuke whistled innocently and looked away. Kuwabara swept into a royal bow, his arm extending towards the door. "If it would please my lady?"

Kagome smiled shyly as she tried to keep her laughter under tight control. Clasping her hands in front of her innocently, she walked daintily towards the door. Yuusuke followed, his hands behind his head and a large smirk plastered onto his face. Kuwabara brought up the rear, chest puffed out proudly as he began the tour.

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End Chapter

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Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please review! 


	10. Chapter X

A/N: Okay, I'm not sorry for updating all this time because life is catching up to me. Rather, to say, I'm getting ready to go back to school That means a few things...

First off, I'm only going to be able to update once a week, twice at the most. Why? Because during school, with all the stuffs I have to do, I only get an hour on the computer daily. At least, during the weekday. And since I have friends over the internet, and am joined on a couple other sites, I have to split my time accordingly.

So, I'll only be able to get on fanfiction Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. But that's not all. I also have a complete other story that I'm writing that I need to give my attention to. And I also want to be able to read and enjoy the stories of others, so there you go. I'm going to devote one day to each, and that means only one (or two) updates a week until vacation.

Second, you can't complain if I don't update. I'll be sure to have a very good reason if I don't, like studying all night or something along that line.

Thirdly...there is nothing else.

Okay, for those who read my teaser, some of this will look familiar. It's okay, I made it that way. So now that I've got the entire chapter written...enjoy.

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Kagome held back a laugh as Kuwabara and Yuusuke began to bicker over the identity of the sculptor that created the various statues around the castle. This was the third such time that they had stopped to argue. Kuwabara insisted it was someone from far away England by the name of De Jode, and Yuusuke swore it was a French artist by the name of Teniers. Both were exclaiming that they knew the artwork of so-and-so like the back of their hands.

Personally, Kagome thought that Yuusuke was right. It made sense to her, for some reason. She couldn't help but giggle when she pictured Kuwabara looking at his hand and saying something along the lines of 'Well _that's _new'. Even if she had only just met him, Kuwabara seemed like that sort of person to her.

Kagome decided to intervene before the two boys degraded to a fistfight. "Okay, can't you just say it was by some artist?" They looked at her at the same time, surprised. Kagome shook her head, thinking that they probably forgot her as soon as they had started to fight. "I'd really like to see some more, if you don't mind.

Kuwabara blushed and puffed out his chest. "You know I was right, didn't you? That's why you're stopping. You just don't want Urameshi to get hurt." Kagome and Yuusuke shared a look before breaking down in silent laughter while Kuwabara kept rambling. "It's nice to know that you care, Lady Kagome."

Yuusuke pulled himself together and leaned casually against one of the statues. "Idiot, she was worried that your ass would get beaten if you picked a fight with me, not the other way around." He smirked. "After all, I _am _the more powerful of us two, and we both know it."

Kagome sighed and shook her head pathetically. They both started to argue, and she was beginning to think that she'd never get past this spot with them conducting the tour. Kagome sighed, and then caught herself. Why did she _have _to be given a tour? After all, she learned better when she explored things for herself. This was taking too long anyway. She should just sneak away and start looking around. As far as she knew, there weren't any places she was forbidden to go.

The fact that she was supposed to be locked in her cell of a room didn't cross her mind. If it did, she would've just told that thought to take a hike. Her mind began to whirr, thinking of ways that she could get away without alerting her two 'tour guides'.

Her problem was solved in short time. She didn't do anything, really. Yuusuke and Kuwabara just seemed to get annoyed with a verbal fight and moved to a physical one. Fists flew as Kagome watched, stunned. How idiotic could you get? Here she was, supposed to be in her room and under watch under the lord -_Youko, _Kagome told herself- Youko's orders.

Kagome looked around the corridor to make sure nobody came to investigate the fight. Really, there should've been a crowd gathering. Apparently this was a common sight, then, as there were no spectators. Kagome shrugged, praising her luck, and silently strode down the hall. She slowed her hurried footsteps as the noises from the fight began to die down. She was now in a part of the castle she hadn't had a chance to see yet, so she figured that this was as good a place as any to start poking around.

A shadowed hall to her left seemed to call to her. She looked around to make sure nobody was watching, and then chided herself. This corridor had dust and cobwebs everywhere, it wasn't one that was used on a regular basis. Which meant that it was up for exploring in Kagome's eyes.

Kagome looked for a torch, finally spotting one across the hall. It took her a little effort to reach up and pull it from its holder, but it was essential for wandering dark walkways. Taking a moment to prepare her self, Kagome spun in a swirl of leather and cotton as she strode confidently down the dark and dusty corridor.

If she had been a member of the castle, she would've been suspicious from the extra passage. If she had been a demon, she would've noticed the darkness blackening as a stone doorway slid into place over the entrance. If she had been a little more aware, she would've felt the lingering touch of magic coating the tunnel like a second skin. However, she was none of these, and so she continued down the 'hallway' obliviously.

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Kagome continued to wander, the torch flickering dimly as her only source of light. She couldn't remember how long she had been wandering this dank maze of passageways. She wasn't worried yet, though. She kept kicking up dust, sneezing constantly as the lint rose to tickle her nose. She was now positive that this was a tunnel that hadn't been used in ages, and the prospect of finding some hidden room or a secret exit excited her. As long as the torch kept burning happily, she would be fine.

Cursed words spoken in a dark tunnel. Kagome swallowed loudly as the torchlight flickered once, then died. Fear began to well up in her chest. Night swallowed her whole, leaving her lost in a blind maze. The torch clattered on the stone as she let go of it, her fingers having gone numb with fright.

Kagome huddled into herself as she tried to keep the terror from consuming her. This was reminding her of memories of the past, ones better kept in the back of her mind. She was lost down here she knew it. She wasn't going to make it out, she was going to die down here, and that _damn_ feeling that she would never see her village came up _again_!

Kagome took a shuddering breath to try and calm her self. This was no time to panic, not when she needed her wits about her. Kagome reached out a hand and felt cool granite. She was all turned around now she just knew it. What was that saying, for when you got stuck in mazes? Kagome wracked her brain for the answer, pressing her forehead against the smooth stone. It was something about keeping your left hand to the wall at all times? That was it. Now all she needed to do was find which wall was the left one.

Easier said than done. Kagome still couldn't remember which way she had been heading, and that put a damper on her already low spirits. She needed to pick a direction fast; otherwise her courage would run out on her. So, without any other way of finding a direction, she backed up a step or two before spinning. She counted to three and stopped, thrusting a hand out in front of her to catch herself from falling. Her hand hit the wall and jarred her arm.

But she didn't stop falling. Stone grinding against stone echoed in the passage as Kagome continued to fall forward. Light blinded her as she finally hit the ground, halfway in the entrance and half in the tunnel. Her arm began to throb, as she lay sprawled on the floor. She didn't want to get up. Her eyes hurt from the sudden flare of light, and she wasn't _quite _ready to face whatever was beyond the tunnel in this bright sanctuary of light.

She didn't know how long she lay there, just soaking up the warmth of the room beyond. When she finally opened her eyes and sat up, arm still aching considerably, she was confused at where she had ended up.

Out beyond the hallway was a square stone room. There were no windows, and the only lighting came from a handful of torches scattered about the area. Crawling forward slowly, Kagome entered the room. She stood, looking about her curiously. The stone flooring was cold, even to her boot-clad feet. There were various papers on a desk at one end, yellow and disintegrating with age. A few inkwells were open and dry, one with a quill-pen sticking out of it. The wood was beautifully preserved, still as magnificent as the day it was created.

Turning about, Kagome noticed the wall. It was split and cracked, little pieces of gravel dotting the floor. Old blood stains riddled the area, suggesting that the person had a temper. Kagome wryly thought about the 'lord', Youko, and scoffed.

What had crossed his mind, she wondered, to make him think that she was some prize? A mere possession, meant to be coddled and wooed in the safety of a large and enchanted castle? It was cruel, inhumane! To think that people were mere pawns, parasites to be toyed with. Kagome's hands clenched into fists, there was no way that he had the right to dictate her life!

And yet...Kagome's hands became lax and hung limply at her side. When she had seen him the first time, he had looked so sad. His eyes told a story of loneliness, hopeless to the fact that he may never, in the rest of his life, be able to live amongst normal people. None of them could until the spell was broken. And they had just been reacting to the fact that they finally had a girl here who could possibly cure them, and they didn't want her to leave. Kagome thought he looked like a caged tiger, wanting freedom, yet unable to obtain it. Youko Kurama reminded Kagome greatly of a villager she had met once, called Sango.

She had been nice and sweet, but her eyes were haunted. From all Kagome knew she had had her family slaughtered by her little brother before he committed suicide. All that had saved her was the fact that she had been out of town visiting a friend. When Kagome and her had met, they both disagreed with each other over almost everything and fought viciously. Deep down, though, Kagome had known that Sango was trying to put on a face, to protect herself from being hurt again. It seemed that Youko acted the same way.

Kagome glared at the wall. "That still gives him no right to boss me around," she snarled. Turning furiously, she looked at the rest of the room.

She had crawled out from under the large fireplace that graced the room. It was exquisitely created from many types of stone pieced together, with designs of deer and boar fleeing from the hunters. Even though Kagome didn't like hunting, she still thought the mosaic looked amazingly beautiful. On the marble mantle-piece, Kagome noticed two things.

The first was a mirror. The glass was top-notch, gleaming in the torchlight. The metal around it was simply wrought. It was breathtakingly simple, and yet elegant enough that any beauty would want one for her collection. No doubt this had once belonged to such a belle, most likely some kind of royalty or other such noble. A commoner would never be able to afford such accessories.

The second thing she noticed sat atop the glass of the mirror. In a small, stone vase sat a single flower. Kagome stared at it with wide eyes. It was a rose, most definitely. It possessed lethal-looking thorns about its viridian stem, which complimented the green of the jade-colored container. The petals of the flower were blood red, reminding Kagome of the stains on the wall. They looked soft and delicate, as if they would fall off at any given moment.

Indeed, there were a few such petals already. They had probably fallen off recently, for they still held some warmth and moisture when Kagome lifted a hand to touch them. They had lost all appearances of velvet, but that didn't mean they still felt like that when they had been alive. Kagome, ever curious, reached up a hand to touch the delicate flower.

A pale hand grabbed her wrist before she could touch the plant. Kagome gasped as it tightened with deadly precision, the claws scratching her skin and drawing blood. Kagome was wrenched around and slammed up against the wall, all breath getting knocked out from her lungs.

Crimson eyes flashed at her as Kagome was brought face-to-face with Youko. Fear welled up in her, more so than any moment in her life. More than when she had met up with Bui, even more than first meeting him. Bui had been acting under a spell, protecting the forest surrounding the castle. The first time she met the lord, it had been the look a satisfied predator would give potential prey.

The look she received now was that of a murderer. One who takes pleasure in the torture and torment of another, weaker being. A look that told Kagome she had overstepped every single line that had been set down before her, and she was about to pay for it.

Her body became numb as he growled feral. She couldn't take her eyes away from those deadly, red orbs. They were almost hypnotizing to her, keeping her locked in a spell she didn't know had been caste. She forgot to breathe, forgot to blink, and forgot everything but her fear and those burning eyes.

"What were you doing?" Youko screamed at her. His hand lifted to her throat on its own, lifting the girl up to his eye level. He ignored it when she began to gasp for air. He didn't bat an eye when she lifted her hands to grab his wrist. "Do you know what you were about to do?" He shook her and didn't bother to soften the blows when her head was repeatedly knocked into the wall. "_What were you doing?_"

Kagome gasped as she felt his hand tighten. She was going to die, damn her curiosity, she was going to _die_! What a time to remember everything Yukina told her about, everything that she had learned about the enchanted rose that was half of the cure for the freedom of Youko and his servants. Kagome watched herself perish in those stone eyes. She knew that she was never going to see the light of day again. This was beyond her control. She was now at the mercy of the lord.

She gasped again as she was thrown to the ground in a fit of fury. Rubbing her neck and sitting up slightly, she stared, wide-eyed, at the advancing prince. She scrambled to her feet, backing up with every step he took forward. He towered over her, a pillar of fury in the stone room without a window.

His fangs gleamed in the light as he opened his mouth to speak. "Get out," he said to her in a dangerous whisper. His eyes widened as she just stood there. "Get out!" He roared. "_GET OUT!_"

Kagome turned tail and fled. She didn't know where she was going, but she didn't stop. The look of his eyes...at the last moment, it looked almost as if the thread of sanity had snapped. Those gleaming eyes were not those of a sane man, and Kagome knew she needed to get as far away as possible.

She passed by a bewildered Yuusuke and Kuwabara, who barely had time to ask what was going on before she sped past them. She made her way past Yukina and Botan, who looked at her with curiosity, past Jin and Shizuru, who stopped their bickering to stare after her. She continued speeding past every manner of server, and soon found herself at the entry doors.

She didn't let them stop her. She threw herself at them and wrenched them open, her fear giving her strength she had never thought she possessed. She felt as if she could feel all manner of eyes watching her, waiting for her to stop so that the shadows of her fears could pounce on her and rend her to pieces. She didn't bother to close the door behind her as she raced down the front steps. Someone else could do it; she would just be wasting precious time.

She approached the gate. The same gate that had started all of this, the same gate that had prevented her from leaving beforehand. This time, though, she was able to force them open with an indignant squeak. This time, she was able to flee through the enchanted barrier that kept everyone else inside. And as she scrambled up the switchback trail that she had walked not two days ago, and fled into the forest with but one backward glance at the castle, she swore that she saw those burning red eyes making sure she left and never came back.

* * *

End Chapter

* * *

Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please review! 


	11. Chapter XI

A/N: Okay, I've gotten it done! However, I only wrote this chapter because I'm having trouble with ACE (there's a big surprise). However, after this, I don't know when my next update will be. I'm trying to finish ACE one of these days, and so I'm thinking that Truth and Recyclables will go on hold until then. Of course, this story is about half over anyway...

Okay, so enjoy the chapter everyone!

* * *

Youko was not in the mood to deal with anyone. Especially someone who worked for him. Especially with someone he respected somewhat. Especially with someone who he not only somewhat respected, but also listened to on occasion. Especially when said person also had a girlfriend that he not only somewhat respected and listened to, but also had one of the sharpest tongues known to man. 

"What did you do that for? She's here for not even ten seconds and she can't leave! Then she's told she'll be forced to work, and thrown in with a group of demons! Then she's kidnapped and thrown into a room and put under room arrest, before being told she can't leave unless she falls in love with you! And _then _she's scared out of her wits by the same person who is desperate enough to go after and fall for the first goddamn foreign woman to cross the threshold for her first mistake!"

Youko rubbed his forehead and looked down at the desk he was sitting in. He was still in his dreary study, the rose was safe, and all should've been well. Except for the small fact that he was being torn apart by the woman that was Keiko with a headache horrible enough to put even the most sadistic, suicidal maniac out of action for some time.

Keiko, her brown hair ruffled and pushed back behind her ears, had her hands on her hips and was giving the young lord a look that would have better effect on a young child who had done wrong. Her white blouse and lavandar skirt were covered in dust and dirt, suggesting she had dropped whatever she had been doing and gone straight to Youko. "How do you think _any _woman ought to feel?"

Youko looked up wearily. He had been getting more and more tired of late. He had lost the will to live long ago, but had come to terms that he would be around for a long time. Then, just a short while ago, he had his life-will shove back into his system in one moment and ripped out again the next. It was taking a toll on the prince emotionally, which affected his physical condition. "Look, Keiko, I--"

Keiko glared at her, stopping whatever Youko was about to say. "You didn't think. You didn't look ahead, like you were _supposed_ to. No, you acted on impulse and probably ruined the last chance we have of ever getting out of here!"

Youko's ears twitched at the high, loud noises that came out of the woman's mouth. He refused to lay them against his head, though, like he wanted to. No, a prince didn't show weakness to anyone. "I know that, you don't think I haven't beaten myself up over the fact that I can't control my bloody temper?"

Keiko didn't flinch, like most others would. No, instead she matched his voice level exactly as she replied him, leaning forward slightly. "You've never tried before, dammit! And when we've all been telling you you ought to work on control! No, you were too busy wallowing in self-pity."

Youko didn't deny it. He knew she was right, and he hated that. More importantly, he hated the fact that he really _had _blown it for the only people who had stuck with him for so long. Not that they had a choice, mind...

Keiko continued, gripping the end of the desk. "Didn't you stop to think that if you blew up at her, you'd ruin all of our chances? Nobody wants to leave here more than you do, and you still ruined it!"

Youko, getting tired of his mistake being shoved at him again and again, stood up suddenly. The chair he was sitting in toppled to the floor with a crash, and he slammed his hands on the desk The force added a few more dents and chips into the already abused piece of furniture. Keiko did nothing but look up to match his gaze as he bore down on her.

"Damn, Keiko, I know that already! Shit, I know I screwed up! I'm an ass, I have a temper that I can't control! What the hell do you expect me to do about it? Go after her?"

Keiko watched in silence as he began to flex his fingers, his nails digging into the shining mahogany. She knew she had pushed him farther than ever. She also knew that he was pressured by the curse more than anyone. If he were to kill her now, he would not only be ill for the next few weeks, but also carry the wieght of her death on his concioussness for the rest of time. And that would be a very long time to live with the fact that you had murdered one of your closest companions.

"Fine. You want me to go bring the gods-be-damned bitch back here? Fine!" Heat seemed to radiate off of him as he stormed out of the small enclosure. His headache a dull throb now, he thought of places to start looking. She couldn't have gone far, not really knowing the way around the forest.

He had a distinct advantage over her in that area. He could catch up to her before she got even halfway to her home, which was where she was most likely heading. He could also pick up her scent and follow it. It wouldn't be too cold yet. He would hurry. He would find the woman and bring her back, and show Keiko just who was the smarter of the two here.

* * *

Keiko opened the door to her domain of chaos also known as the kitchen. She didn't work here normally, but she had decided to visit again. Besides, Yuusuke was here. He, Shizuru and the other would want to know how it went. She heard her name called, which quickly began to echo as others noticed her arrival and made similar exclaimations. Everyone who needed to be here was here, waiting for her to deliver the news. 

"How'd it go?" someone asked in the background. It was slightly muffled so that Keiko, who stood in front of the decently sized crowd, couldn't quite tell who it was.

She smiled and everyone sent up a cheer. Waving her hands and asking for silence, the cheering quickly died. Clearing her throat, she began. "Alright, I've gotten him to go after her. However, he thinks it's his idea. To anyone here, it is." She gave a stern look at Kuwabara. He was sweet, but tended to blurt out secrets at the most inconvinient times. "Now, what we need to do is get ready for Kagome's return." Another cheer went up at the sound of her name, and Keiko had a little more trouble calming them down.

"We need to prepare for anything. That means injuries, dehydration and hunger. We don't know when her last meal was besides the snack she recieved earlier, so it's up to the kitchen staff," she nodded to Jin and the others, "and the servers," she nodded to Botan, who stood with a small crowd off to one side, "to make sure everything in that area goes smoothly. The meals should be fairly plain, but plentiful."

"Next is for injuries. All healers and other personel should be ready for anything." Yukina nodded, as did a scattered bit of other demonic heads that had gotten the ability to heal with the curse. "As for the rest of us, we split off into groups. We need to work on making this place shine like it did in the beginning. Some of you go with Kuronue and Touya to work outside on the grounds. Some of you go with Shizuru and Kazuma and start going on a room to room cleaning." She heard a lot of groaning in the back before it was cut off with a muffled yelp.

People had already started to shuffle and move according to where their strengths would be of more use. There were still some people left when the shuffling subsided, and that worked for Keiko perfectly. "The rest of you split up into two groups. Half of you go with Yuusuke and Hiei to check the stores. The other half come with me to help get Kagome a proper wardrobe."

More organized chaos ensued as people rearranged themselves accordingly. When everyone had finally stopped moving, there were six clumps of people spilling into each other. Keiko smiled and placed her hands on her hips again. "What are you all just standing there for? We don't have all day. Move!"

* * *

Kagome stumbeled and fell yet again. She had left Buka at the castle, and couldn't go back for the beast. She missed the donkey's company, even if it was a silent comanionship. Aside from leaving Buka behind, she had no supplies, didn't know which way she was going, and had left her shoes behind. Somehow. 

Her feet were now bloody and sore from unseen hazards on the forest floor. In addition, Kagome had acquired a collection of bruises from when she fell, and cuts from when she ran into the surrounding foliage. She was hungry and dying of thirst, not to mention she hadn't bathed for a long time. She felt absolutely disgusting.

She slowly picked herself up. She had to keep going, she just knew it. There were still those ex-demons turned beasts out there, and something told her she wouldn't survive an encounter with them.

Kagome tripped on a root, and fell. This time, however, she was thrown down a hill. Rocks imbedded themselves into her side while leaves and twig sanded her skin. The world was spinning and spinning, unmerciful to the young woman whose stomach was about to reacquaint Kagome with every meal she had ever had.

She came to a crashing halt against a tree, effectively knocking the wind out of her. Her stomach couldn't handle the extra push. Kagome rolled over and proceeded to purge her stomach of everything that dwelled inside it, and then some.

A twig snapped behind her. She flipped around, wiping her mouth with a dirty sleeve. There was nothing in her line of sight, so she kept looking around her. Something was wrong. Another twig snapped, and Kagome turned her head to where the noise had come from.

Still nothing. Dread filling her body, Kagome put her back to the tree. She slowly stood up, wincing as her legs throbbed from all the abuse she had gone through. More twigs snapped in succession, the sounds coming from all directions.

Then she remembered Yukina telling her about the demon-guardians.

_"Something changed them, then. They weren't just demons, now. They were Hell's messengers, there to prey on any who would try and near the castle. The demon that attacked you was called Bui-san. There are three others out there besides him, none of which can die. Karasu-san scours the skies of the forest as a demon crow, Ani-Toguro-san was turned into some sort of water dweller to patrol the rivers and streams." Kagome blessed her mind for thinking to bring her own water when she heard that. "Ototo-Toguro-san became a tree-dweller, spying on the borders to make sure nobody enters the forest without their knowledge."_

Was this one of them come to attack her? Wipe her off the face of the earth, like some small, insignificant insect that wasn't meant to be here?

She didn't want to die like this. She didn't want to die at all! She wanted to live a long, fullfilling life. She wanted to marry her one true love, have children and raise them on her family farm, watch her grandchildren frolic through the meadows outside the village. She wanted to be able to say she had accomplished something worth doing, not die to disappear without making an impression!

She was on the edge of hysterics, and she knew it. She could feel those eyes on her again, just like when Bui had attacked her and Buka.

A shadow flew over her and landed with a thud. It took Kagome a second to realize that one, it wasn't a shadow, and two, it looked hungry.

The thing, which vaguely resembeled a bird, was dark enough to blend in with the shadows when it didn't move. Half of it was covered in a feather-like substance, and the other half seemed to resemble scales. It's beak gaped open in a high-pitched, ear-rending screech. Deadly fangs gleamed in the moonlight a little too brightly for normal teeth. There had to have been some sort of poison or acid dripping from them. It hissed and unfurled its great wings, crouching down in the process. With another cry, its insane eyes buldging with fury, it hurled itself at Kagome.

She couldn't move. She knew she was going to die. People said that your life flashed before your eyes just before you died. Nothing of the sort happened to Kagome. Her mind couldn't function, couldn't move past one thought.

_I'm going to die today._

_

* * *

_Youko heard a screech. His ears immediately plastered themselves to his skull, and he clamped his hands ontop of them to try and get rid of the awful, gods-cursed noise. It was unnatural and made his skin crawl. He wanted to find the creature and tear it to pieces. It sounded like something from the hells themselves!

The screeching stopped. Youko slowly lowered his hands from his head and perked his ears forward. The sound had come from the direction he had been heading, following the woman's trail. That didn't bode well for someone whose entire life and that of his underlings depended on getting the woman back safely.

A scream rang out in the air. It was that of a terrified mortal, about to meet their doom.

It took him only a moment to put two and two together to get four. A woman's scream right after hearing that hell-spawn. Solution: The woman he was looking for was about to be attacked by a hells-pawn. Alright, on to the next problem.

Youko sprinted forward, his eyes flashing past the trail the woman had left behind. Consequently, as he sped up, he began to smell blood. Not a lot, but it was enough to have Youko start to react. Being cursed didn't mean it supressed his natural instincts.

He broke into a scene from a bad horror movie. As he watched, a black creature that smelled of blood and unrelenting fury descended upon the young woman Youko had been looking for. It cried its awful cry, raking its claws against the girl's unprotected back. The force was so strong that it threw her against the tree she had been crawling away from. She screamed and collapsed, unmoving.

Something inside Youko woke up then. He didn't know what it was and, to be completely honest, didn't care. As the creature reared up for another attack, Youko sprung into action.

Some time after he had been cursed, he had discovered he had the ability to manipulate plants. He made good use of that talent now, compelling the vines to wrap around the creature and bring it back to the ground. The ivy complied, twining themselves around the beasts legs and shrinking back into the ground, pulling the squalling thing to the ground with a crash.

It was a short-lived respite. A large explosion called the dust up from the ground, whirling around everything and blocking the kitsune's vision. A cracking noise had Youko whipping around to face the opponent, only to be attacked from the back.

He collapsed forward, the creature continuing onward and dragging its talons painfully through his flesh. He bit back a scream as blood flowed freely from his wounds, and as the creature disappeared into the dust.

More explosions went off nearby, and Youko rolled just in time to avoid being hit by bits of rock and other natural debris. His mind whirred as his body dodged the attacks around him.

What was this thing? He would've remembered seeing a creature like that wandering about the forest on his own explorations. And wasn't it only demons that could use bombs without actually having any on hand? The only person he knew who had had an ability like that hadn't been around for a long time.

Then, just as he was thrown back against a tree from a mine placed under his feet, it clicked.

A small grunt came out of Youko as he commanded the tree to bend slightly during impact. He bouned off slightly, and landed crouching. "So, Karasu," he said coldly, "long time, no see."

A hiss came through the dirt, which was being kept in the air by Karasu's bombs constantly going off. It was starting to hurt Youko's ears, which moved to pinpoint every noise. They were seizing up on him from the constant movement. He tentatively reached a hand up to rub the base of his left ear, sharpening his senses and using the plants to keep track of where his old friend was.

"What I want to know, is what kind of greeting is this for an old friend? Not to mention your overlord." Youko dodged as a black mass was hurled towards him after he finished his sentence.

Air whistled past Youko's ear as Karasu sped past him. It was a close call, considering. Youko spun on his heel, keeping Karasu's shadow in sight as he turned sharply and began to climb.

* * *

End Chapter

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Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please review. 


	12. Chapter XII

A/N: So, I finally updated. This will probably be the only one before Christmas, though I'm going to really try to get another chapter done. Okay, no promises, but...yeah.

I'm sure not many people read this story. Oh well, I'm having a lot of fun with it. More than I am with ACE, that's for sure. So far, I'm thinking there aren't going to be more than ten chapters more. I'm going to try for no more than eight, but I'm saying ten just in case it ends up being longer than I think it's going to be.

So, thanks for all of the reviews people gave me. I'm always open to comments, questions and suggestions...especially when they make me laugh.

Now, enough talking. Enjoy the chapter, and in case I don't get another out, Merry Christmahanakwanzuka!

* * *

Youko dodge another bomb attack. It was beginning to grate his nerves, always having to move out of the way. He should have been on the offense, damn it! You'd think, all the time he spent sparring with his underlings, that he would be in better shape to fight this fiend! But no, he was still playing defense to a mutilated crow. 

Not that he should be one to judge. It had been only a short period of about five minutes, but the toll was already being taken from the two fighters. Both had already gained a decent collections of minor cuts and bruises to decorate their skins. In addition, Youko sported a practically useless arm and a nice gash running the length of his left leg. Karasu, on the other hand, had only a single gouged eye. It made it harder for him to see his right side, but it wasn't enough by far to aid Youko in the battle.

It didn't help that about a minute into the battle, the second half of the curse kicked it. So, consequently, he also had a skull-splitting headache working against him.

He had to think, and fast. Time was passing, and sooner or later the girl was going to be the prime target. As soon as Karasu found out that Youko was distracting him, for reasons the fox still hadn't figured out, then he would start directing his attentions to the maiden. That couldn't happen, or Youko would be beaten to a pulp by the women under his command.

Another bomb exploded, catching Youko in his thought pattern and adding another potentially fatal wound to Youko's list. He flew back from the impact in his stomach, an arm cradeling against the bleeding appendage in an attempt to stem the flow of crimson liquid.

_I can't get distracted!_ he berated himself. He knew that, if he didn't block everything and close his mind to everything but his opponent, neither of the two castle dwellers would make it out alive. And, for both their sakes, he had to make sure they got there in as many pieces as possible.

A whistle was heard, and Youko's instinct kicked. He ducked just in time for a thud to be heard over his head, telling him that Karasu had shot into the tree. Instead of either male idling the time away, both fighters leapt to their feet (or, in Karasu's case, to his wings) and took defensive positions.

Youko was breathing hard, and the last injury was causing him too much pain. It had hit something vital, obviously, since his vision was dimming and he was beginning to get dizzy. A black spot appeared in the corner of his vision, blocking the unconcious wench from his view.

Karasu hiss again, making Youko's ears retract to his skull again. "Damn you, you bastard buzzard! Why won't you just fly away? Or, better yet, why not drop dead and save me the trouble of slitting your goddamned throat?" He growled, a predatory sound made deep in his throat. This was taking too gods-forsaken long! It should have ended five minutes before it began!

Karasu raised in the air again. He had a glint in his eye, one that spoke volumes to Youko. The crow demon began to spiral. Rising higher and higher in the air, he slowly gained altitude on the doomed prince. Both parties knew that this would be the final strike in the battle. And both knew only one would come out alive.

* * *

Kagome blinked. She had been staring ahead for a good chunk of time, but she couldn't remember seeing anything. The last thing she could recall was feeling her impending doom loom before her in the form of a giant black crow... 

Kagome looked around slowly in the sky, her eye searching for the black sign of the demon. The last time she had seen it was when it had headed straight for her, bloodlust wafting off the creature in waves that every forest creature could feel. Then she had blacked out, and woken up just moment ago. Which lead to where she was now...roughly.

_Wait,_ she told herself. _Was it really blacking out? I could have sworn I saw a flash of white._ Her brow furrowed in confusion. Now that she thought of it, she really _did_ remember seeing a flash of white. Closer to silver, if she wanted to be technical.

She wondered where it came from as she stood. What could have possibly brought a flash of white, besides dieing and seeing it in tunnel formation? She had always thought people _blacked _out. After all, when you closed your eyes, you blocked all light from entering your irises and essentially blacked your vision out.

"Unless it was a person!" she concluded as her eyes fell on the prince of the castle, lying slumped against a tree. Kagome wondered why he was there. Wasn't he last seen frightening her off in his ever-so-cozy castle? She wondered if he had something to do with the demon. She spun in a slow circle, looking everywhere for a black body or the red eyes to show that the thing was still alive.

She couldn't find either, only a large, rose-like, flowering plant that grew in the near center of the thicket. She hadn't remebered seeing it before. She definately would've remembered it. Had she been knocked out longer than she thought? Long enough to have a plant grow?

_Get a grip on yourself, woman!_ she berated herself, shaking her head. _If that were the case, you'd be an old, grey bitch hobbeling around with a knarled walking stick. _She spun to face the only other person, the prince, and marched over to him.

Gathering her anger and frustration and compacting it into a fine point, she shouted "What's going on here? I mean, where the hell did that wierd demon go, and why are you just lying there?" Kagome reached down to glare at him, then noticed a couple things.

First was the fact that he wasn't breathing very well. The fox demon was taking shallow breaths that sounded ragged.

Second was that he looked entirely too pale. Of course, that was comparing him to the way he had looked before, which was pale to begin with.

Third was the pool of blood surrounding him, the wounds gained in fighting still bleeding sluggeshly.

"Oh my," she whispered, feeling just a bit queasy. She kneeled on the ground, one hand going to hold her stomach while the other held her mouth. Her eyes widened as she saw just how extensive the wounds were. "Oh no, you lost a lot of blood!"

Kagome looked around frantically for something, anything, to stem the flow. Spotting nothing, her mind on the edge of panic, she grabbed one of Youko's hands. "Sorry about this," she said to the unconcious prince. Taking one of his razor-sharp nails, she quickly sliced a good portion of her skirt to use as bandage material.

Pulling Youko toward her, Kagome began to bind his stomach. She fumbled a bit before she got into a comfortable position. "Alright, so I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm in a forest with at least four demons that are out to get me for living. I've got an unconcious jerk on my hands, and I have to somehow get him back to the one place I don't want to go."

She tied off the ends and glared at him. "You are such a pain, did you know that? Oh well, it's not like _I_ have a life to live. It's not like _anyone_ in the village will miss me. Okay, so maybe Hojo would." She pursed her lips, casting her mind out for a way to get the both of them up and moving.

"I am _so_ going to make you pay for this," she muttered as she stood. Grasping his arm, she threw her wieght back and lifted him, sloppily, to his feet. He began to collapse quickly, so she sidestepped and put her shoulder under his arm. "Now, which way do I go?" She spotted a broken trail to the left of her sight and started towards it.

She nearly tripped five times before getting to the path. She paused momentarily, her breath coming in short gasps. "Yup, definately going to make you pay."

* * *

Youko's side was on fire. His head ached with every movement. He could hardly feel one of his legs and one of his arms. He felt like he had been disembowled, dragged across the courtyard, sliced to tiny, minute pieces, then slapped hastily back together again. Only whoever put him back had forgotten a few bits. 

He tried to open his eyes. Weights hung on them, refusing to budge no matter how hard he tried. He also tried to speak. It felt as if knives had been stuffed down his throat at the last minute, followed by a nice, cold glass of lemonade. Without the -ade. The only thing he managed was a small, rasping groan.

It seemed enough, though. As soon as the sound was out of his system, three heads appeared above him. On the left was Yuusuke, right above him was Kuwabara, and on his other side was Hiei.

Yuusuke smiled. "Hey, he's awake! Damn, Kurama, we thought you'd sleep for the entire month!"

Youko tried to ask how long he had been out, why they were all there, and what had happened to the girl. He still couldn't manage to say anything.

As he watched, the three men were herded away from his view. He heard Shizuru's voice berating them for not giving him enough breathing room as someone unseen helped him to sit up. A glass of spring water was thrust under his nose. He drank greedily, feeling as if he had been wandering a desert his entire life and just now stumbled upon an oasis.

Yukina appeared at his elbow, taking the glass from him and refilling it. "Are you feeling better, Kurama-ouji?" she asked in a concerned, if soft, voice.

The prince cleared his throat slightly. "Yeah, I think so." He could already feel the curse taking control, helping to speed along his recovery. At the rate it was moving, he figured he would only be bedridden for about a day or so. That would be perfect, since he didn't like staying put for a long period of time.

He opened his mouth to ask how long he had been out, when he was hit over the head. Hard. He spin as fast as his stomach wound allowed and narrowed his eyes at Keiko. "What the hell was that for, bitch?" he yelled.

Keiko blinked, unfazed. Youko could hear Yuusuke growling at him for insulting her. Keiko matched Kurama's look, glare for glare.

"You said you would get her back, but you never said you'd nearly kill yourself in the process. You could have let one or two of us go and help, you know." She crossed her arms. "But no, the Great Prince Youko Kurama is too big a _man_ to ask for help. No, he needs to do everything on his own. Including falling unconcious in the middle of a goddamned cursed forest with only an unexperienced girl for protection and three other bloodthirsty demons out looking for him!"

Youko growled. "I didn't ask to have that damned curse kick in! And it just so happened that I knew all of that, yet none of you would have come with, would you?" He crossed his arms, mimicking Keiko.

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow. "And did you think to ask, Oh Mighty One?" Youko didn't answer. "I didn't think so. And now you've lost two weeks of time that could have been put to better use! Like trying to get this curse lifted!"

Youko's eyes widened. "Two _weeks_?" he inquired in a squeaking voice. Keiko nodded. Kurama's mood swung, and he immediately pinned the blame on the woman he had to go save. "That woman! When I get my hands on her-"

He was cut short when he was slapped. One hand went up to his cheek. He was met by three furious women.

Shizuru, the one who had slapped him, looked like her hair would spontaniously combust at any moment. "Now you can just stop right there. Kagome did nothing wrong. Absolutely nothing to warrent your anger."

Yukina looked disappointed. "She was the one to carry you from where you collapsed to us, where we could care for your injuries. She even used her skirt as a makeshift bandage."

Keiko put fisted hands on her hips. "The curse wasn't kicking in when you were injured, and we don't know why. So if it wasn't for her, none of us would be having this discussion right now."

All three women gave him one more look, then exited together. Youko was left with Yuusuke, Kuwabara and Hiei trying to hide their amusement. Youko turned his anger towards them. "And just _what_ is so funny?" he snapped.

Yuusuke shrugged while Hiei and Kuwabara looked in other places. "Nothing much, but I think you should know something. Besides saving you, Kagome has hardly left your side since she brought you here." Yuusuke's grin gave the fox demon the distinct impression of a satisfied cat. "And I think we all know why."

* * *

End Chapter

* * *

Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please review. 


	13. Chapter XIII

A/N: Yo! All of my Truth fans...I've got a chapter up! And it only took me two class periods to write it!

Yes, I know, I'm in class and I should probably be working on it, right? Well, I'm not sure you guys would agree, but don't worry. I finished everything early.

So, updates on everything. Wrapping this story up now, eh? I'm glad a lot of you people have stuck around. Not long until this story is shut down and put under the 'completed' category. The fun thing is that it'll be one of my first completed stories (NOT one-shots) written entirely on The not-so-fun thing is that I won't get to write any more.

Which brings me to another thing. I want to say this right now, loud and clear for all of you to know.

**_There will be no sequal to The Truth Of Beauty!_**

That's right, I refuse to write a Truth II. I have the ending all planned in my head. When you read it, you will understand why this story and all of its ideas will be stuck on the metephorical shelf after all is said and done. So please, don't ask if there will be a Truth II. I'm telling you, it won't work out.

So, enough of my hyper jabbering. On with the story!

* * *

Kagome sighed and sat up from her bed. It was very comfortable, with it's satin sheets caressing her body. She was loathe to get up, yet she was still worried that Youko hadn't woken up yet. It had been a stressful time for her, worrying over him and the curse that refused to kick in. She had had enough time to actually start wondering if she had something to do with the lord's condition, but dismissed it as unimportant in the grand scheme of things. 

She reluctantly threw the covers from her body and, shivering in the biting stone room, hurried to the wardrobe. There, she threw open the doors and hurridly went through the piles of dresses she had accumulated over her stay at the castle.

Once she had returned, carrying the injured kitsune prince and struggling to stay upright, she had been hurried into a large steaming room and bathed by herds of attendants. She had been a little embarrassed about that part, especially when they insisted on helping her dress and undress. After being shuffled into another room, she had been garmented in the most beautiful outfits she had ever lain eyes on. Blues and purples had swirled in a tidalwave of color punctuated by soft greens and striking reds. The softest doe-skin had glided over her newly washed skin as a pale blue dress was slipped over her head.

The chaos of people around her had helped her do up her hair in a strange fashion; they had taken a heated cylindar to her hair and the effect was most unusual. Now, two weeks after, she enjoyed having bouncing noir curls cascading down her back. Of course, the curls had to be redone every so often, but the honest compliments given to her by the staff was worth the trouble.

As soon as she had been able, she made her way in her new dress to sit by the prince's side. She had food and water brought up, and slept at his bedside as much as she was able. She felt responsible for what had happened to him, so she felt it was her job to keep watch over him in the cool nights that kept getting longer.

With winter on the way, there was a lot of hustle and bustle in the castle. Preparations were being made to accomidate everyone. There wasn't a lot of time to spare, yet some of the women had still found time to visit Kagome during her self-induced vigil.

Her favorite companion had been Keiko. She had a sharp temper with her boyfriend, Yuusuke, and a lot of wit. She had also taken it upon herself to answer Kagome's ever-present questions.

Since then, Kagome had learned more of her host. She had learned how it was like for him to grow up, how his parents died, everything from the time he was but a babe to how he got to be when he grew up. She had even started to learn what he liked and didn't like, what his hobbies were.

When she wasn't with the prince, she wandered around the castle and acquainted herself with the rest of the staff. She visited the stables where Buka (who she finally remembered after about a week) was stabled and met the head stableman, Kuronue. She liked the chimera with his laidback attitude and way with getting the stubborn donkey to follow his lead.

She also spent time in the kitchens, helping Jin to cook and learning new techniques herself. A lot of times, when baking or mixing under Jin's instruction, the head gardener even paid a visit. Touya was a calm and somewhat secluded person who only seemed to be friends with the happy wind demon. That didn't stop Kagome from trying to break the ice, so to speak.

Shizuru had told Kagome, when asked, that Yukina was helping her learn to be a lady. That helped somewhat, especially when Kagome had been approached by the young koorime and asked to walk a certain way, eat a certain way, and a million other minial things. Yukina also helped Kagome learn to get dressed on her own for when she wanted to be in her room by herself.

A slight muscle spasm in her arm, created by the cold of both the night and an impending winter, snapped Kagome back to the present. She pulled out the dress she had in her hand, a simple lavendar gown with silver accents, and scrambled onto the bear rug that had been placed in her chambers. She didn't like the thing initially, but as soon as it got too cold to walk around the castle barefooted, she was gratedful of the thought.

She slipped the doe-skinned dress over her head. It was one of her favorites, coming to a modest point at the collar and accessorised with a woven silver belt at her waist. With her hair in curls, she was able to use a silver-toned ribbon to pull it all back into a ponytail. It kept her surprisingly warm, yet remained light enough for fast movement when the time called for it. The sleeves were simple, clutching the skin at the top and widening gradually as they approached her hands. The skirt of the dress was Kagome's favorite; unlike the rest of the somewhat fitting garment, it flowed loosly and liked to pool about her legs when she sat on the floor.

As Yuusuke had so graciously put it, the dress clung to all the right curves, showing enough to tease yet leaving a decent amount left to the imagination.

Latching the belt to her waist, Kagome spun once and then sat down to pull on her old boots. She had kept them with her, for sentimental reasons. Her brother had had them made from his first official kill for Kagome's naming day.

Stomping her feet softly, she made her way to the carved doorway and slipped out of her room. Hiei had taken to following her around for the most part, so it was no surprise when he was waiting for her just outside her chamber.

She smiled slightly and curtsied. "Hello again, Hiei. How are you?"

She didn't expect an answer, so she was slightly surprised when she got a semblance of one. "His highness is awake and in a foul mood. Most of it seems directed at you. I suggest you stay away for the time being."

Kagome processed the information slowly. So he was finally awake? Her brow furrowed momentarily. She had thought he would be asleep longer than that. Unless his healing had decided to kick in again, in which case didn't make sense because it hadn't worked for a long time.

Still...Kagome wanted to see him. It was an act decided on a whim, and she began to walk towards the same room she had haunted the entire week. She heard Hiei following, and could've sworn she heard the barest sigh escaping him.

* * *

Youko looked up from his place on the bed. There was someone coming up to his room, and he wasn't happy. Not that he was _ever_ in a good mood, or so it seemed. But today was an especially foul day. He had learned that not only had his healing failed him, not only that he had been asleep and weak for over fourteen days (he refused to admit that he had sustained severe injuried when fighting Karasu), not _only_ had almost his entire group of vassals _seen_ him in his weakened state, but he owed his entire life to a _woman._

A _human_ woman.

A human woman with an attitude.

A human woman with an attitude that annoyed him.

A human woman with an attitude that annoyed him because he couldn't get her out of his mind.

And that infuriated him.

So, when the object of his thoughts just so happened to waltz through the door, which he had _specifically ordered_ to remain shut and locked from any visitors or intruders, he started to growl.

She stopped in her tracks, hands on her hips. "What the hell is that for, huh? That's a fine way to thank the woman that saved your ass the other day. A fine way indeed." Her voice was full of anger and resentment, and another veiled emotion that Kurama couldn't pick out.

He snarled at her, baring his teeth. "I didn't ask for you to save me. In fact, if I had a choice, I think I would've rather died than be saved by a filthy, dirty, human bitch! After all, it's so degrading that--"

A slap rang out in the room and, for the second time since waking, Youko's face was thrown to the side. He idly wondered if he should have kept his mouth shut before his cheek began to sting. He slowly turned to face the woman that dared raise a hand against him and glared heatidly at her. "Why you little--" he began, before Kagome slapped him again.

"You foul demon!" Kagome's eyes blazed with fury."Do you seem to forget that not only were _you_ human once, but everyone who is cursed here is also linked directly to you? It's your fault that they're like this, and now you're just going to wallow away in your own misery, moaning about the time when you had a chance at ruling and blew it just because you're a spoiled brat? How dare you!"

Youko sat there, shocked. He had been slapped, _twice_, by a woman that he had seen only a handful of times. Not only that, but he was being berated like a little child by the same woman he had nearly died saving! Not even Shizuru or Keiko would talk to him like this!

"You listen here--" he ground out.

Kagome would have none of it, and slapped him again. "No, you listen to me. You're acting like a child, thinking the entire world is mourning you because you were cursed. Which you deserved, by the way. So let me tell you something, Mr. High and Mighty. The world is full of problems, and your problem is by far _not_ the worst. So suck it up and take it like a man, because right now you are the only hope of anyone in this castle ever becoming normal again. It's not only about you anymore. You hold the fate of countless people in your hand, grow up!"

Kurama growled, his red cheek screaming at him. "You will not tell me how to act, woman! It is my choice on what I do or do not do, and nobody can tell me differently. I am the ruler of this forest and everyone in it, including you! And as the sole ruler, I expect to be treated with dignity and respect befitting a prince!"

Kagome didn't even bat an eye. "I don't care if you're the king of the world. You are nothing but a child in my eyes. Until you can prove you are a mature adult, and until you _earn_ my respect, I will not stop treating you as I have been." She leaned in towards the silver-haired invalid and Youko had the sudden urge to shrink back into the bed. "Now, do I make myself clear?"

Youko growled. He didn't like being told what to do, dammit! It was his life and he wanted to live it on his own terms! Unfortunately, something held him back from snapping at her or ordering someone to take her from his sight. He couldn't place it and it was driving him nearly insane.

Weightsinking downnext to him alerted Youko of Kagome's choice to sit on the edge of the bed. His eyes snapped to her and he bared his teeth. "What do you think you're doing? I didn't tell you you could sit there."

Kagome, completely calm on the outside, held a bowl and some cloth stripsin her lap. "I didn't ask, so it's obvious you didn't tell me. And it doesn't matter, because I don't have to listen to a child."

She turned to him, and it was only then that the fox prince noticed her outfit. For some reason, his breath caught and a warmth spread from his chest to the rest of his body. It took a moment for him to snap out of his stupor.

He was brought out of it by Kagome's hands reaching around him. A slight blush, which he fought down with every inch of his being, crept to his face as he snapped, "What do you think you're doing, woman?"

Kagome glared up at him. "I'm changing your bandages, what did you think I was doing?" She untucked the ends from the rest of the cloth and began to slowly unravel them.

Kurama couldn't think of a comeback, so the two sat there in a tense silence. The only noise was their breathing and the soft rustle of cotton.

Kagome had to hold her hands steady, least they tremble and reveal how afraid she had been of Youko actually finding an arguement to use against her. If he threw her out, she had no place to go anymore. She had been gone so long from her home, no doubt her father believed her dead and they were celebrating. He had never wanted her, anyways.

And the villagers wouldn't be so far behind him. Souta would get all the attention, and that would make him happy. Kenshin and his wife would just shrug and move on with life, just like they always did. Kouga and Inuyasha...they weren't so big a loss. After all, they were idiotic stalkers that just couldn't take a hint.

The only thing she really regretted was that she couldn't visit Houjo at his bookstore anymore. After all, he would just move on. He had had his eye on a young girl in the village, and had hinted to Kagome on who that might have been. It hadn't bothered her then. It didn't really bother her now, if she thought about it. She would miss sitting and reading, discussing different books and authors with the quiet brunette.

She looked down and pulled the rest of the gauze from Youko's wounds. They were healing nicely, the few stitches that were still in remaining clear of infection. That was a good sign, she thought to herself. She couldn't help envying his ability to heal,his ability to ignore his hurts and just move on. Her eyes took a depressed tone as she reached for the new bandages.

A hand stopped her, and she looked up with a start. Youko had grabbed her wrist, gently preventing any further movement. Kagome made the mistake of looking into his molten eyes, and felt herself drowning in the pools of melted gold.

Kurama's voice was soft as he spoke. "Don't work when you can't control your motions. You're shaking, as much as you're trying to hide it, and it may take longer than necessary. I'm not fond of pain."

Kagome wanted to whimper when the warmth of his hand left her skin, and had to forcefully yank her eyes from his. A small blush crept onto her cheeks as she took a deep breath to calm herself. She didn't trust her voice, so she just nodded.

On Youko's part, he was wondering what had come over him, to try and comfort a human wench.

* * *

After having witnessed the little scene between the lady Kagome and his overlord, Hiei decided that the workers would find a lot of humor in what had transpired. He took it upon himself to run to the kitchen and, wearing a smirk, related the story to his companions. 

Yuusuke barked with laughter and slapped his hand on the table he was sitting at. "She slapped him _three_ times? That's got to be a record! I mean, I can count on one hand the amount of times a woman has been brave enough to go up against the bastard." Hiei didn't nod, but the look in his eyes shifted to a light of immense humor.

Kuwabara shook his head. "You think this is happening? Are you two sure we aren't all dreaming, that they aren't falling for each other even a bit?"

Yuusuke dismissed the carrot-headed worker with a wave of his hand. "Of course not. They just need to be pushed into everything a touch faster. At this rate, with them both in denial, we'll be stuck as is for the rest of our...I wouldn't say lives, because we haven't had one of those for quite some time. I'm sure we can get the girls to help us with the two."

Hiei smirked. "You know," he commented dryly, "I think that most everyone but themselves know what's going on."

Yuusuke nodded emphatically, his dark brown hair bouncing into his face. He impatiently brushed it aside. "I can talk to Keiko and Kazuma can talk to Shizuru. We'll probably have to talk to Botan and get her in on it, too, and you can talk to Yukina. I know how much of a romantic she is. She'll be a true asset."

Hiei nodded and went to find his sister. The next few months would be very interesting...especially with winter about to rear his ugly head.

* * *

End Chapter

* * *

Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please review! 


	14. Chapter XIV

A/N: Alright! For the first time in this story, I've broken the four thousand word line! X3 Congrats to everyone, you get a longer chapter!

Okay, I wasn't able to get this out Friday like I wanted to. I had been writing in class again, and I couldn't finish it soon enough (and I was only 600 words away from my minimum). So I started typing today, again, and...well, I got a little carried away this chapter. But that's okay for me! Really! This was exactly where I wanted to stop.

One thing is troubling me, though. Two, actually.

The first is whether or not I'm going too fast with my timeline. Am I?

The second is that I need some ideas for over winter. After all, in the actual movie, the bonding time between Belle and Beast is a three and a half minute song. So, I need some ideas. Anyone have any? I'll take anything!

Okay, so my last thing is that I would like to thank people for pointing out different mistakes of mine. Whenever someone does, I always go back and fix it.

And to my reviewers! You are gold! You not only keep coming back, but you give me insights to help my story along.

Now, more storytelling!

* * *

"I don't see why I have to do any of this," Kagome said. "After all, I'm neither the lord of this castle, nor any kind of noble at all. It's not my responsibility!" Huffing and crossing her arms, Kagome's stance took on a stubborn feel to it. "I'm not going to, you can't make me, end of story. Goodbye." She waved slightly. 

Kurama growled. "Do you think it was my idea to have you do this? I don't care whether or not you can properly ride. The fact is, if I don't do this, my already miserable life -which, by the way, is because of _you-_ will become even more so. If I had my way, you would be locked in a tower to rot!"

Kagome gasped. "You little prick! How dare you say something like that! I'll have you know that you're a selfish, spoiled brat who should've gotten his just desserts _years _ago. It's not _my_ fault that I'm the only person in this entire castle who will stand up to you."

"For good reason!" Youko's breathing quickened with his anger. "You are a rotten wench who should've been drowned when she was born!" A gasp showed that the prince had hit a sore spot. "You're mother should've shoved you back in and your father should have never let you out of the house." He smirked.

Kagome raised a hand to slap him. Youko barely saw it coming, so he was able to get only the very edge of it. "You _ass_! How dare you say such things about my family. What goes on with my family is none of your concern."

Kurama laughed bitterly. "Only because they're too busy celebrating to notice you've been gone. And enough with the slapping, before I get really mad!" He bared his teeth.

"At least I have a family!"

"One who doesn't care about you."

"My friends aren't some freakish type of zombie, too afraid to speak up for themselves."

"At least I'm not so poor as to have to resort to desperate means, like you. I have enough money to protect my honor instead of selling it." Kagome, and the audience gathered around the bickering couple, gasped at the young lord's words.

Kagome mouth snapped shut. Youko took a minute to smirk, relishing in his little victory. It was short lived, however, as Kagome slowly unfroze from her shock at what was implied to her.

Her eyes slowly closed and her eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "Without honor, eh? Is that what you think?" When she looked up, that familiar urge to whine and back down swept over Youko. Kagome's eyes were blazing with fury and she was shaking with malice.

Kurama kept his eyes open, wary of feminine palms flying towards his face. He needn't have worried; instead of mimicking what had been going on for some time, Kagome's leg shot out and collided with Youko's stomach.

The fox demon's breath flew out of him and he keeled over. He landed on his knees on the stone flooring, bruising them nicely. One hand clutched the injured appendage while the kept his torso off of the ground. Youko's forehead was pressed to the ground and, though he would never admit it, there were tears gathering at the corner of his eyes.

Yuusuke winced in sympathy. He, his girlfriend, and many of the staff were gathered outside in the cool autumn day. They had appeared to watch the exchanges between the lord of the castle, and Kagome (who was called 'The lord of our lord', but only in private). The arguments had been a daily occurrence for the servants and a great source of entertainment.

When Youko was finally able to be let out of bed, the staff had started to try and get them to realize they had feelings for each other. However, that was made difficult by the two being the most stubborn people in the castle. They refused to have anything to do with the other, and it finally came down to Keiko threatening to starve the two if they didn't spend at least _some_ time together.

Though they fought, it hadn't gotten nearly this bad. There had been many creative insults on either parties part, and many a red cheek for the young ruler. However, Youko had never let his mouth run as far as it did that day. In retrospect, Kagome had never had to resort to such violence before.

Speaking of the young beauty, Kagome turned to glare at the gathering. "As for all of you," she began. Everyone hurried to straighten up. "You can just stuff this psychotic plan of yours and keep him away from me." She turned back to Youko, who hadn't moved. "And as for you. The next time you come near me, I'll bloody you up so badly you won't be recognized." With that said, she turned and stormed off into the castle. A large booming noise, the telltale sign of her slamming her door, followed closely after.

Yuusuke shoved his hands into his pockets and walked up to Youko. "She's got some spirit, right Kurama? I mean, even Keiko is afraid of her sometimes." The crowd started to disperse quickly, until only the kneeling lord and his butler were left.

Kurama sat up slowly, supressing a wince. "Shove off. I don't care if she has 'spirit', I'll make good on my threat and go lock her in a tower!" He stood suddenly and would've run off to do just that, if Yuusuke hadn't grabbed him by the arm.

"Whoa there, what the hell do you think you're doing? Aren't you forgetting something?" Youko turned back and glared at his vassal. "She's the only woman outside of the curse that has come around and you are scaring her off. Don't you want to become human again?"

The prince snarled. "Of course I do! I just don't want that- that _woman_ to be the one!"

Yuusuke fixed his friend with his own glare. "Well it sure doesn't look like it. Dammit, Youko, you know better than all of us how little time we have left! We can't just up and find another girl. Even if one were to come here, we wouldn't have the time to teach her what Kagome has picked up. And," he held up a hand when the lord opened his mouth to retort, "_and_ she would never fall for you in such a short time."

Youko ripped his arm from the brunette's grasp. "So, what would you have me do? Huh? Admit that I might like her? Admit that she's interesting? Admit that I just might find a way to convince her I'm not the arrogant bastard she thinks I am?"

"That would be a start at least." Yuusuke ran a hand through his hair. "Look, it's not some big secret. Everyone knows that you like her," Yuusuke pointedly ignored the growl sent his way, "and, believe it or not, she likes you, too. You two are just so goddamned stubborn that you don't realize it!"

Kurama blinked and stood back. "You're saying, that with everything I've said to her, she still likes me? Forgive me if I find that rather hard to believe." He fixed a scowl on his face.

"Stop being such a prick. She had a point when she said that, you know." The butler crossed his arms. "I would like to point out something. In the entire time that she has been here, with the exception of the first day she was here, she has never began a fight with you. In fact, she has gone out of her way to be somewhat kind and gentle with you."

Youko turned his head. "And? What do you propose I do about her?"

Yuusuke tried to hide a grin. He knew that Youko knew he knew he wasn't fooled. The young lord would just never admit to liking someone deemed 'low', like Kagome. "She has a name; I suggest you use it. Also, try to find out what she likes. Give her a gift or something. You never know, it might cheer her up."

Youko spun to face the brown-eyed immortal. "And just how am I supposed to figure out what kind of shit she likes if she isn't even talking to me? Tell me that." Feeling confident in the fact that he won the arguement, Youko crossed his arms.

"You don't. You ask me, or Keiko, or Hiei, or any other member in your service. You haven't been paying attention to what Kagome does when she isn't around you, obviously. See, she likes to help out around here. Just ask politely, and I'll tell you all I know right now."

"How about I order you to?"

"How about you're not that mean, no matter what you think."

A small breeze whistled through the scene as both men stood, staring at each other. Minutes passed. Finally, with great reluctance, Youko ground out "Will you please tell me what she likes?"

Yuusuke smiled a little too brightly for the death look Kurama was giving him. "Why, certainly. Thank you for asking. Okay, according to the girls, Kagome is a very healthy young woman with a bit of a temper." A very un-royal snort was heard. "She likes her donkey -or was it mule?- Buka and constantly visits whenever possible. She likes to talk to people and learn about things, and it doesn't matter what she learns. She has that same curiousity that Keiko and Shizuru have in finding out things. She tends to be stubborn and shy. She enjoys reading, and there's one book she has that has never left her side. I think it's from her old village, but she refuses to talk about it. Her favorite color is blue, her favorite flower is a lily, and her favorite meal is a light salad with a small glass of wine." Yuusuke paused for a minute. "So, you think you have something you can give as a sort of peace offering?"

Youko, completely unaware that he was supposed to keep up a certain appearance of hating the woman, nodded thoughtfully. "I just might have it, but it will take some time to put together. And I'll need help; lots of it."

Yuusuke slung an arm around his young master's shoulder. "Don't worry, we've got you covered."

* * *

Kagome had gone and locked herself in her room after the argument. She had gone a step further than just locking the door, too. She had pulled everything that wasn't nailed to the door (with the exception of the heavier items) and barricaded the entrance. It had taken her some time, but she felt confident that she would get at least a day's worth of peace. 

It was to her absolute and utter delight when she had awoken, three days later, and the door had budged only slightly. She could hear the fighting between Kazuma and Hiei from outside the obstruction and smiled. She wasn't lacking in anything in her little room; a few days back she had stashed a large amount of food underneath her bed for an instance just like this.

It took a total of a week before Kagome ran out of food.

It took an hour after eating the last morsal before anyone was able to sneak into the room.

After they finally got to her, and gave her a nasty lecture, Kagome had began to wander about the castle again. For some reason, all help that she had offered was refused. Unlike before, she wasn't being allowed to help anyone. And nobody would tell her why!

So it was with anger that she made her way to the barn to visit Buka. She had to trudge through a crisp, new layer of snow before she made it to the barn, but the weather fit her mood perfectly and so she didn't complain.

The beast had made off with an easy time. He was in a warm stable and getting fat off of grain and warm mash. He seemed content to just sit around and let the head of the stable, Kuronue, take care of him.

Kagome smiled as the chimera looked up at her entrance. The brunette rather liked the demon, with his odd outfits and contrasting appearance.

On that cold day, Kuronue had chosen to wear a black, pointed hat over his even darker hair. In order that it wouldn't get mussed up, his hair was pulled back into a knot at the base of his neck. His black shirt, which had the sleeves quite literally ripped off of them, matched his hat and the breeches he had dooned. A single belt was the only color in his ensemble. Everything was coordinated to show how pale the man was.

Setting down his rake and exiting the stall he had been cleaning, Kuronue hailed Kagome. "How goes it, lady? Why in so foul a mood?"

Kagome smiled and shrugged. "Nobody is letting me help them, so I won't bother asking you. No doubt it's orders from a higher source." Kagome scowled. "I mean, what did I do? Why won't they let me help?"

Kuronue stopped in front of her and leaned against a wooden beam. "I don't think it's that. Kurama really hasn't been seen outside of the east wing lately, and the only people who are with him aren't saying anything. In fact, he's barely said a word since you two fought. Which is an improvement, in my opinion."

Kagome returned the smile she was given. "Yeah, but what did I do? I mean, I know I locked myself in my room, but would that be enough to warrant this kind of action from them?"

Kuronue shook his head slowly. "I don't think so. Did it ever occur to you that they might just not need the help? Or that they maybe think it's demeaning for a lady of your stature to help with the meager and monotonous work of a household servant?"

"No." Kagome pouted slightly. "I'm not a lady, and I like to help people."

"We don't always get what we want, my lady." Kuronue bowed slightly. "Now, on a different note, are you here to see your friend?"

Kagome nodded wildly. "I haven't had a lot of time to come down and see him, so I thought I'd pay a visit. How is he?"

Kuronue began to lead Kagome to the stall where the stubborn donkey had made a decent home. "He's been great. Hardly kicks me now."

Kagome laughed nervously. When he was first brought into the stable, Buka hadn't liked it at all. He had made the biggest fuss, disturbing the other beasts and making everyone edgy. Buka really hadn't liked it when Kuronue had tried to clean him up. The fading bruises were still dotting the chimera's pale skin days after the last scuffle.

"Hey, boy!" Kagome called when the stall door was opened. Buka's ears perked forward as Kagome walked towards him, his nose thrust into the air. He sniffed delicately and walked forward, nosing Kagome's stomach while searching for a treat.

"Yeah, you know what you get, don't you?" Kagome pulled out an apple, crisp and juicy. She held it in her palm and extended it to her friend. "You want it? Hm?"

Buka lipped the object, as if testing whether or not it would run away from him, before snatching it between his teeth and pulling away. Kagome laughed as the grey equine chewed methodically, little peices of the fruit dribbling from his mouth. Kagome walked forward and began to scratch Buka behind his left ear, the donkey's favorite spot by far.

They stayed that way for a while before their peace was interrupted. "My lady, there's someone to see you," Kuronue called to the brunette. Kagome looked up and pouted. "And don't give me that face; it's higher orders that calls you away, not me."

Kagome whined. "But I just got here! Can't I have a little bit more time?"

A blue head of hair peered around the corner. Botan cleared her throat. "His royal highness Youko Kurama wishes your company at the entry hall in fifteen minutes." She smiled. "That gives you time to say goodbye and change, you know."

Kagome nodded and sighed. "You'd think he'd leave me alone, after all the fuss. Ah well, he _is _letting me stay here." Kagome refused to think there was an alterior motive to her accepting the prince's invitation.

* * *

Youko nervously paced back and forth. The carpet he was walking on was worn and showed signs that this was not the first occurence of someone pacing its length in nervous energy. The young fox often stood and paced the entry way, its length long enough to work out his frustration and calming enough to sooth his tattered nerves. 

Kurama fought the urge to wring his hands as he waited for the girl. He couldn't help but dwell on what he was about to do. Would she like it? Would she hate it? Would she throw it back into his face and laugh mockingly at him as he tried to stutter out an explaination?

Not that he would _ever _stutter...the others would never let him live it down.

He hadn't bothered to change into anything new. The ruling youth still sported the white silk tunic and breeches that he wore every day. It wasn't that it got boring ever, but it was the last thing he had worn when he was human. It had some sentimental value to it, and helped him cling to the hope that someday he would break the curse and all would be well for him and his companions.

A throat being cleared caused him to spin quickly. He nearly tripped in shock at the beauty standing behind him, catching himself at the last minute. Fixing a mask of indifference over his face, he took in the woman's appearance just as she did his.

She had decided to wear one of his mother's old outfits, but he was too oblivious to notice. It was a pale green gown that fit her like a second skin. There were no wrinkles to tell that it wasn't somehow painted on her body. The embroidery on the hems and along the neckline were delicate vines that complimented the light colored dress in a dark leaf color. Her hair was hooked back in a simple matching ribbon, one of the stray ends falling over her shoulder.

All in all, it was a simple ensemble. It didn't do anything to help soothe the kitsune.

He snapped back to reality and, using courtly manners, made a stiff bow. "I thank you for coming to meet me," he said in as neutral a tone as he could come up with.

Kagome blinked and curtsied just a bit less formally than the prince did. "I hope you don't think I'm going to stick around for long. I'm not here because you asked me to be; I'm here because the others are stopping me from doing anything worthwhile and I'm bored stiff. So just keep in mind that I'll leave as soon as my attention wavers," she warned.

Youko nodded. "Then I had best keep your attention, won't I?" He held out an arm. "If it pleases you," he offered.

Kagome took the arm cautiously. _He's planning something_, she told herself as they began to walk deeper into the castle. Kagome glanced covertly at her companion. His face was completely blank, devoid of any emotion. _Well, no help there_. The arm Kagome was holding was very tense, telling her that he was either very nervous or very agitated. _Or very murderous_...

They walked in a silence so thick that you could cut into it with a knife- provided that knife was one used to butcher through the tough bones of cattle and other livestock. Neither appeared to be aware that someone was walking next to them. On the inside, however, neither could be tempted to forget that the other had thrown gruesome insults at them.

They arrived none too soon at a large pair of pine doors. The soft wood was carved simply with designs showing the different constellations in the sky. Kagome raised an eyebrow at the doors while Youko stood stock still, momentarily frozen. Neither moved for a moment.

Finally, the silver-haired prince turned to the woman beside him. "I want you to close your eyes," he told her.

Kagome's eyes narrowed. She stepped back as she accused, "What, so you can feed me to some ugly beast and be rid of me?"

Kurama gave a look of exasperation. "Look, it's a surprise. I'm not dumb enough to get rid of you when most of the people I live with would murder me in my sleep for such thoughts. Also, I wouldn't dare wreck such a delicate doorway by getting blood all over it." He stared at her pointedly. "So, if you would close your eyes, that would be much appreciated."

Kagome didn't trust the prince even as far as she could throw him (which, due to her lack of upper muscle strength, wouldn't be very far to begin with) and reluctantly closed her eyes.

To make sure she couldn't see anything, Youko hesitantly waved a hand in front of her face. Content with the fact that she was, indeed, closing her eyes completely, Youko gripped her arm at the elbow. "Keep your eyes shut until I say."

Kagome pursed her lips. Her skin tingled where Youko touched her, and she wasn't entirely sure she hated the feeling. That disturbed her more than she let on, for she had thought she wouldn't like anything to do with her captor.

Youko opened the doors and slowly led the raven-haired girl into the room. He stopped her as she stepped in the center of a dull seal and ordered her to wait where she was. Taking a deep breath, he walked over to the draped windows. Pulling on a tassled rope, he used his strength to open the curtains.

Sunlight flooded into the room, turning the darkness behind Kagome's eyes into a pale yellow color. She heard more drapes being forced open after years of blocking the cheerful light, and turned her head slightly to locate each sound. From what she heard, the windows were all in front of her. They had been walking to the far corner of the castle's layout, so it confused Kagome as to why the windows would only be on one side when they could be on two.

Youko made his way back to the youth standing on his family's crest inlaid on the floor, two stags surrounding various flora on a burgandy background. He hesitated only slightly before he said, "Alright. You can open your eyes now."

Kagome's eyes fluttered open and she gasped. She was standing in the middle of a library, one filled with books from floor to ceiling on three sides. She spun around slowly, trying to look in five directions at once. Long ladders, like the ones that Houjo used in his store back in her village, stretched from the different floors to the topmost shelves. Winding staircases connected three marble decks together and added to the elegance of the room. The open floor, in which Kagome stood in the center of, held various desks and comfortable looking couches and chairs for the different book lovers to read in. Even more books overflowed from the gigantic shelves onto the mahogany desks lining the room. Looking down, Kagome stared in awe at the seal.

Youko watched all this being taken in by the young woman in front of him. After she had a moment to adjust, he sighed. "I take it you like it?" Kagome nodded mutely. "Well, I had heard that you liked to read. Since nobody else in the castle spends any amount of time here, this room is my gift to you."

Kagome looked up, shocked. Small pools of tears were gathered at the corners of her eyes, making Youko think he did something wrong. "Why? Why would you do this for me?"

Youko shifted his wieght and put a hand at the back of his head, looking almost anywhere but at the girl in front of him. "Well, you did save me. I owe you a thank you for that, Kagome,but it was also pointed out to me that I was acting like a jerk to you. A lot. So this is an apology as much as a thank you." He looked up at her and saw, if it were possible, an even more shocked person in front of him. "What, did I say something wrong?"

"You called me Kagome," was the whispered reply.

Youko shrugged. "Don't look too far into it. I may be thankful you saved my life, but it doesn't mean we're the best of friends yet."

Kagome nodded and blinked back her tears. "Thank you. Thank you so very much."

As Kagome practically ran towards the mountains of written pages (although a lady would _never_ run), Youko breathed a sigh of relief. Kagome liked it. A warm feeling filled Youko and he took a seat on one of the many couches, content for the moment to watch Kagome run around like a child in a toy shop.

* * *

End Chapter

* * *

Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please review! 


	15. Chapter XV

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update, but I was finishing ACE and had a slight bout of writer's block. But hey, it's my first one and I don't think I'll have a repeat episode! Yeah, see, I actually have the rest of the story planned out!

What's up, eh? Well, I was a bad author...I started a sequal to ACE and have been working on that. However, the good news is that I'm going to try and finish this story soon! As in, within a week or two!

Yeah, it's spring break and I'm very bored. Outside of my sister playing her new KH2 game as much as she can...

So, I think I'll just say that, if you are confused, Kagome was in the castle about October and by the end of the chapter, it's about February or so.

Oh, yeah, one other question. What do you guys think about a christmas sidestory for Kagome and Youko? Hm?

* * *

Another mug of ale was set in front of Inuyasha. He didn't even tip his head in acknowledgement to the barmaid, who walked off in a huff. Inuyasha took a long drag of the amber liquid, sighing as his head became fuzzy once again. 

For months, Inuyasha had sat at the same table he currently occupied in the same tavern he sat in now, nursing countless tankards of ale as he wallowed in depression.

It had been months since the love of his life had disappeared. Months since he had last seen his one and only, the light that shined in the darkness surrounding him, his little blooming flower trapped in the ugly flowerbed that made up her father's farm. Months since he lost his Kagome to some strange fate that he didn't know about.

So he sat there, day after day, thinking about what was happening to his precious woman. He had tried to appeal to the villagers to get them to send him after her, but they had rejected her outright. She had been gone for too long, she was probably already dead, she disappeared in the same forest that nobody ever returned from, it was same old excuses as always whenever someone disappeared without a trace.

He could just see it, what was happening to his woman. She was most likely kidnapped by bandits a short time after she had gone into the forest. After all, that was the source of all the disappearances. The bandits sold all of their captives into slavery overseas, but since Kagome was such a rare beauty, she was kept around as a pleasure toy for the men.

It disgusted Inuyasha. He could picture Kagome, her eyes welling up with tears as one of the men went for her as the sun descended past he horizon. She had become terrified of the night, for that was the only time they came for her. The evil men, with their brash voices and plaque-ridden teeth smiling maliciously in the firelight.

Inuyasha knew that if he only had a chance, he could go after her. He would kill any of them who had dared to touch what was his, and after the battle ended, Kagome would fling herself into his arms. She would hold onto him like a lifeline, sobbing her heart out on his chest. His arms would come up around her and hold her, letting her know that she was safe.

Then, after all her tears were cried, she would pull back and look up at him. He would wipe away a lone tear of happiness at seeing him. Her eyes would brighten at him, her mouth drawing itself into a shy smile. Inuyasha would smile back, before claiming her soft lips as his. She would readily participate in the battle between their tongues, but would conceed to Inuyasha as the stronger of the two. After all, he was the strong savior and she the helpless maiden that he had freed from the clutches of evil. But, oh, she how her mouth belied the fact that she was not at _all _a shy young girl...

A tankard being slammed down onto his table forced Inuyasha from his daydream. He looked up with fury at the man in front of him. He was even angrier when it proved to be his only rival in love.

Kouga, his ebony hair the envy of women everywhere and his height enough to challenge even Inuyasha, sat down at Inuyasha's table without invite.

Inuyasha's eyes flashed. "What the hell do you want?" he snapped.

Kouga's blue eyes met Inuyasha's blazing violet orbs. "I just thought you would rather take your anger out on something that can fight back, rather than a helpless piece of furniture."

Inuyasha glared at his rival. "Why don't you just leave me alone and go back to that whore you picked up?"

Kouga stiffened. "You'd do well not to insult Ayame, Inuyasha. She is an honorable woman, one who has earned your respect."

Inuyasha snorted. "You're right." Kouga's face slackened in surprise. "I should be calling _you _the slut, seeing as as soon as Kagome disappears you screw the first thing that willingly walks into your arms." Inuyasha took a long sip from his drink.

"That's enough of that, Inuyasha." Kouga's heated glare bore into Inuyasha's eyes. "You're just acting childish with the fact that I grew up." Inuyasha was about to retort, but Kouga cut him off. "No, you listen to me and I'll explain. I care about Kagome, but I don't love her. I think that I might have sometime when I was younger, but somewhere in my life that love became infatuation. It took her leaving, and me being away from her for the first time in my life, for me to see that."

"I realized that I loved Kagome because she is so spirited and has such a strong personality. I didn't love her for her, and I didn't think that was fair. Kagome deserves someone who won't hold her back and try to mold her into something she's not, and I wouldn't be able to give her that. I decided to look for someone whom I loved for herself, and Ayame was there. I got to know her. I fell in love with her. And I know that I can let Ayame be herself without feeling like she needs to change." Kouga stood abruptly. "I just thought that you ought to know that Kagome deserves better than the both of us, and that you should give her up and find someone else."

Inuyasha watched with eyes cold as ice as Kouga walked back to his wench, giving her a long and passionate kiss. What the hell did Kouga know, anyway? Kagome was rightfully his, and they both knew that. Kouga was just such a sore loser that he wouldn't admit to falling into second place against Inuyasha.

Inuyasha flagged down another barmaid and ordered another ale. Inuyasha would find a way to save Kagome from whatever horrible beast had a hold of her. He swore to anybody who would listen; Kagome would be back with him and safe in his arms by spring, where she rightfully belonged.

* * *

"Come on," Kagome begged. "Why not?" She was standing in the middle of the library, two days after it had been gifted to her. Her dress was light pink in the skirt with a maroon bodice that brought color into her face. Her hair was, again, pulled simply into a tail using a ribbon more intricately embroidered than the gown. In her hand she clasped a leather covered novel, one of the newest discoveries in the cast collection hidden away in the book cases. 

"Look, I've never been a fan of reading. I won't listen while you prattle on, saying words already dictated onto a page of parchment and ink. It's not my kind of thing." Youko stood with his arms crossed, his nose upturned at the piece of literature.

Kagome fisted her hands and put them on her hips. "You decided that you were going to be nicer to me, and since I'm no longer allowed to help out _anywhere _in this place, I need something to do. I don't want to spend every waking moment reading silently to myself! I'm used to being around people, and I like company."

"Then go talk to someone else. Have them dragged into the room and bore _them _with your stories. I don't want to listen!" His tone and expression said he was used to being obeyed quickly and without question.

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "Look here, they're all busy. You're the only person who doesn't seem to do anything but work, and so you're the only person who will be able to listen. So, please, would you let me read to you?"

Youko was about to retort when the doors to the library burst open. Yuusuke ran in, panting, and moved to stand before the prince. Breathing heavily, he put his hands on his knees and took a moment to catch his breath.

Kurama's eye twitched. He knew when someone was just putting off something, as Yuusuke was doing at the moment. He narrowed his eyes and barked "What is it, Yuusuke? And you'd better not try and avoid what you were sent to say."

Yuusuke straightened. He wore a pleased smirk and, had he been a young boy, his chest would be puffed out with pride and happiness. "Your esteemed majesty," he drawled with a bow, "and my lovely lady." He bowed again, and Kagome smiled sweetly. Both men could practically hear her thoughts about proper gentlemen. "I have been sent to tell you that the first snows have fallen, and to invite you to watch it."

Kagome's eyes lit up. "Really?" She hurried past Yuusuke, out the door, and towards the south wing of the castle.

The immortal raised an eyebrow at his leige, who just smirked. "I do believe I owe you one, Yuusuke. She was about to attempt and read at me."

"Don't you mean _to _you?" Yuusuke inquired as he followed Youko after Kagome.

"Nonsense." The kitsune waved his hand absently. "You can't read to someone who isn't listening in the first place."

Yuusuke nodded and they both walked the rest of the way to the balcony in silence.

* * *

Months passed quickly for Kagome. She loved the winter; it was her favorite season. There was just something about the world, blanketed in a sparkeling white dress, that took Kagome's breath away. There was only one problem about spending the season at the castle. 

Sighing, Kagome turned from her window. There was a chilled breeze fluttering the curtains softly, bringing the biting winter cold into her room. The brunette moved over to sit in front of the fireplace and ponder her life as boredom settled in.

This was the first winter where she had ever spent it away from her family. Normally, she would have been sent after the villagers to purchase different gifts to family members. Souta would have great big fights in the snow with his friends. Kagome would sometimes join in on the fun, everyone laughing as the soft white fluff flew back and forth.

Afterward, being thoroughly soaked, they would head inside and settle around their simple fire with warm cups of soup to bring warmth to their shivering bodies. They would go around, sitting in their little half circle, telling the craziest and most fanciful stories they could come up with. Either that, or Kagome would take one of her books and read out of them to the young boys.

It was one of the few times where Kagome wasn't too busy to read. She had all the time in the world. Only, now that she was at the castle and actually _had _all the time she could ever want to peruse the world of literature as she had wished she could've done so long ago, she found that she just wanted to get out and do something completely childish.

Of course, she hadn't had a chance to. Touya, the groundskeeper, had quietly and calmly pointed out that Kagome was a lady while she was staying there. And ladies, of course, would _never_ act anything but mature.

Kagome pushed herself out of her chair with a 'hmph'. "They say that a lady is supposed to act civilized, hm? What about all those times I ran about the halls, screaming like a little kid? Did they forget about those times?" she asked nothing. Shaking her head, she looked down at her lovely dress.

She fingered the crimson velvet bodice, and sighed over the pale rose colored silk that made up the skirts and sleeves. It was a real masterpiece, with just enough lacing over the front and cuffs to draw the eye. Saddened, Kagome knew that she would never be able to romp about in the snow in an outfit like that...

Then she brightened. "I can't run about like a maniac in a dress like this. I can, however, act perfectly childish in a childish outfit." Her mind made up, she stripped to her skin and ran over to the armoire.

Dancing from foot to foot over the frozen stone flooring, Kagome rummaged through the clothes holder until she found the outfit that she had worn her first day there. She thought it was fitting, as she pulled the worn cotton gown over her head and reached for the tattered bodice, that she would relive old traditions wearing an outfit from her home.

Straightening the cloth, Kagome grabbed one of the heavy cloaks she had acquired and flung it over her shoulders. Opening the door, she stalked outside; she was a woman on a mission, and woe to the soul who stood in between her and her goal.

The sunlight was bright when Kagome made it outside, forcing her to squint. Still, she couldn't help but smile as she lifted her skirts and began to run out to a giant tree in the middle of the courtyard. 

There was no other soul outside that she could see, and for that, Kagome was somewhat grateful. It wasn't that she didn't like any of the people she had met, but she just didn't feel like talking all that much.

Her eyes having finally adjusted, Kagome stretched her arms to either side of her, palms down. With her head facing the sky, she let herself flop down into the snow around her. She didn't care that, as she was laying there, snow was starting to soak her clothing. It was a nice change to the harsh cold of the castle that surrounded her so much.

Her eyes closed of their own accord as the raven-haired maiden soaked in the sun. He mind wandered, not touching many subjects and instead drifting without reason. It was a fairly warm day, and since she hadn't _had _to do anything for some time, she didn't have to worry about moving until she felt like it.

"You're going to catch a cold like that," a voice said above her. Opening her eyes, Kagome saw Youko standing above her. His arms were crossed and the expression on his face was somewhat disapproving. "You should get up before you get sick. Besides, it's not proper for ladies to be outside laying in a bed of snow."

Kagome stuck out her tongue. "I don't care. For now, I'm no lady. I'm just Kagome, daughter of a poor farmer and a girl who likes to lay in the snow and get sick." She closed her eyes again. "I refuse to move."

She heard Youko move around her, and thought she would finally be left alone. She was just letting her mind drift again when something very solid, and very cold, hit her in the face.

She sat up with a squeak, shaking her face. It was cold! She used one of her hands to scrub at the moisture clinging to her face, and heard chuckling behind her. She looked to her left and saw Youko standing a short distance away. A small rut in the snow next to him proved he was the culprit.

"What the hell was that for?" Kagome asked angrily. "I thought that gentlemen didn't attack women!" She stood and fisted her hands onto her hips.

Youko nodded. "That's true, but it's only with ladies. Therefore, since you are 'just Kagome' today, you're an open target." The prince scooped another handful of snow and packed it into a small ball. He looked at Kagome slyly.

Kagome backed up, her eyes wide. "Oh no, don't you even think about it!" Her protests were in vain, however, as within moments there was another snowball sailing at her.

Kagome ducked, the object barely missing her, and stared at Youko with indignation. "Oh, you're just asking for trouble, aren't you?"

Youko smirked. "I'm not afraid. After all, I have first hand experience that women can't hit anything that isn't nailed down two feet in front of them."

Kagome growled and gathered her own ammunition. She lobbed it at Youko, who dodged it easily. However, she had anticipated his moving and had another ball launched from her hand within a handful of seconds after the first. The second hit its mark.

Kagome balled up with laughter as she watched the prince stand there in surprise, little bits of snow clinging to his face. His eyes narrowed and he growled.

"That's it! This means war!" he decreed before he had to dodge another snowball.

When Touya went outside to check the ground later in the day, confident in the fact that it would remain untouched for the entire season, as it had for years before, he was shocked to see the prince and the lady Kagome acting like five year old children in their first real snowball fight. That wasn't the most surprising thing, however. The prince, by some inconcievable force, was actually laughing freely with the young woman. It was enough to shock the ice demon into spreading the order that the grounds were off limits for the rest of the night, giving the two young adults time alone.

* * *

After both were thoroughly soaked, Kagome and Youko had somehow ended up aimlessly wandering the outside grounds. They had started talking about nothing, enjoying each others company- not that either would admit it, of course. 

Currently, Kagome was talking about her brother, Souta, and their winter traditions. "So we would get up as soon as we possibly could and both go out in the snow to just play. We would make angels in the snow, have large fights with the other village children, attempt to make snow forts and ice castles...all sorts of wintery fun."

Kurama nodded. "Which is why you can actually hit a moving target," he said. He rubbed his arm again, which was still smarting from a rather hard throw by the young woman walking next to him.

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "You know that I can hold my own in a snowball fight as well as the next person. I managed to slug you more than you did me, don't forget." She waited for Youko's reluctant nod before continuing her talking. "Anyways, I could usually last until sundown before gathering the boys inside."

"We would all gather around the fire, and just sit there telling stories. Either that, or I would read from one of my books borrowed from the local bookstore to them. Souta really liked that, reading to him. Even if he won't admit it, I'm sure he would love to be able to read the kinds of things that I tell him about." Kagome smiled sadly.

Kurama could feel the mood drop slightly. "You really miss him, don't you?"

Kagome's head snapped up a fraction of an inch, barely enough for Youko to catch. "Of course I do. He's my brother."

An uncomfortable silence descended over the two. Both knew that, even though Karasu appeared to be gone, there were still three other guardians out in the forest that would prevent Kagome from returning to her home. A moaning wind ripped through the two, causing Kagome to shiver.

"We should go in," Kurama said absently. Kagome nodded and the two slowly walked back to the castle.

Somehow Kagome and Youko ended up in the library. In one corner, there was a blazing fire. Both migrated to the couches arranged in a neat manner at the hearth and sat down.

Kagome pulled a blanket around herself, curling her feet in under herself. She rested her arms on her legs, and then her head on her arms as she stared into the fire.

She blinked when a book was thrust under her nose. She raised an eyebrow in question at the fox prince, who was holding the novel.

Kurama merely said, "Traditions shouldn't be broken, no matter how annoying."

Kagome covered her surprise and took the storybook delicately. It was the same one that Houjo had given her, so long ago, and one she had read and re-read many times. Opening it up to one of her favorite stories, she began to read it aloud. The only other sounds, other then her soft voice, was the fire as it continued to crackle cheerfully.

* * *

End Chapter

* * *

Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please review! 


	16. Chapter XVI

A/N: Wah, I'm depressed while writing this chapter. Don't worry, you'll see why when you read...

So, I had a reviewer say that they almost forgot about me. I know, I'm a horrible author...I disappear forever and never update. I'm sorry, I promise I won't do it again. Honest. Besides, like I said, it was my first bout of Writer's Block on this story, and I got over it AND have the rest of the story planned, so I don't think I will have any trouble for the rest of the story. So, yeah. Feel free to verbally beat me up over not updating for near a month or two.

Anyways, I've got nothing to do today (sister is at a friend's house and I haven't found any new fanfics to read yet), so I'll probably just post this and start working on the next chapter. After all, it wouldn't be nice for me to end this right now and not update for another week, would it?

* * *

Somehow, in the middle of reading, both Kagome and Youko fell asleep from their exhausting day. It was then that Keiko walked in on them; Kagome curled up against Youko, both oblivious to their positioning. It was so adorable, the young brunette wished she could just capture that moment to blackmail her prince later! 

Keiko shook her head. She would just have to have fun telling the boys later; at the moment, she had a message to deliver. The immortal thanked any diety who decided to listen for Shizuru's forethought of placing an eye over the young lovers earlier in the day. Otherwise, they wouldn't have this perfect oppurtunity to get them to admit to their feelings!

Keiko hid a smile as she debated who to wake up first. Shrugging, as it really wouldn't matter in the long run (whomever woke up first would most definately raise enough of a ruckas to wake the other, after all), she cleared her throat. "Your majesty?" she inquired.

Youko's delicately shaped kitsune ears twitched, and Keiko could just see the cogs beginning to run inside his much-too-inflated head. His eyes, a goldenrod still dulled from sleep, opened slowly. He mumbled incoherantly, and then looked down on his chest. Where Kagome, so innocent and angelic in her restful state, currently resided.

Youko took in a breath of surprise, then his head shot up to glare at Keiko. "What the hell is going on? Is this some sort of joke?" he accused.

Keiko shook her head, smiling sweetly. "Nope, you were like that when I came up here. Imagine my surprise, too. Here I was, expecting you to be at each other's throats. Instead, I find you all snuggled up on the couch. I can't _wait _to tell Yuusuke!" she added for amusement.

Youko groaned, his head flopping back on the back of the silk-covered lounge. "There's no way I can get you to not tell him, is there?" He said it as a statement, not a question. Keiko snickered as she heard him mutter about 'annoying, canniving women turning perfectly respectable men into soft-hearted ninny's'.

Youko sat forward again, shifting slightly. Kagome's eyes fluttered with the movement, and she slowly cracked her eyes open. Keiko waved and bid her a good morning while the brunette gathered her wits.

The prince narrowed his eyes in frustration. "Would you please get off me?" he asked her. Keiko thought it was highly amusing when Kagome's eyes widened into saucers. "I'd like to be able to feel my legs again."

Kagome sat up with an 'eep', her face doing its best to imitate a tomato.

Keiko 'tsk-ed' at Youko. "You shouldn't have woken her up like that. I think you've traumatized her," she pointed out.

Kagome's shifted her gaze from the ground to Keiko. "He has not! It'd take a lot more than the likes of _him_ to give me nightmares. Although, he came close that one time I saw him after just waking up," she drawled with a smirk.

Keiko laughed aloud. "I know what you mean. Just wait until you get Yuusuke like that; he's ten times worse, and doesn't do a thing about it if I don't nag him all morning."

Kurama stood, blood rushing to his oxygen-starved limbs. "What is it, 'pick on the helpless males' day?" A look shared between the two women had the silver-haired fox answering his own question. "Don't tell me, I don't think I want to know. What did you want, Keiko, besides trying to put me into my grave earlier than I had planned?"

Keiko shook her head. "You are no fun, you know that?" Under her breath, she added, "Can't see how Kagome puts up with a boyfriend like you." Luckily for her, it was said quiet enough so that Youko didn't hear her. "I came to ask you if, even after all these years of rejecting it, you would like to hold the annual winter's day ball this year?"

Keiko's eyebrow raised as she saw her leige actually considering it. Kagome, on the other hand, just looked confused.

"Winter's day ball?" she asked nobody in particular.

Youko absently answered her. "When I was growing up, every winter my mother held a ball in the palace to celebrate the winter season. It was her favorite time of the year, and she never missed planning one. I continued the tradition for a while, but after a while I stopped. I think it'd be a nice idea to hold it again this year, though, seeing as we haven't had one for quite some time." He nodded to Keiko. "Go ahead and plan something, then."

Keiko curtsied. "As the lord wishes," she mumbled, smiling. Yes, everything was coming along nicely. Yukina really hit a gold-mine when she remembered the Lady's traditional ball.

* * *

Two days later, everything was planned to the tiniest detail. The only thing missing were the two participants, as the staff would still be working- meaning they purposedly made a huge mess in the preparations to have a reason for not going and interrupting the two lovebirds. 

Inside Kagome's room, the young woman was pacing nervously back and forth as Yukina tried to get her to calm down and into her new gown. They only had an hour before the ball was due to begin; it wasn't much time.

"Kagome-san, would you please let me help you dress while you worry yourself into a frenzy, at least? Then you'd still be able to go, instead of being late and possibly insulting the only other person who will be there to keep you company."

Kagome looked up. "Yukina, please don't remind me. I'm going to be stuck with him for hours, and I'm still trying to figure out how we won't be insulting each other at each and every turn. It's been nearly impossible before, so why is this time different?" Kagome was standing next to her bed, and chose that moment to flop onto it in a very un-ladylike manner.

Yukina hid a smile behind her hand, the gown clutched softly in the other. _Because you and Ouji-sama will be too busy staring at each other to act like children, _she thought. Aloud, she said, "I can promise you that if he does insult you, he'll have to answer to the rest of the castle. We worked too hard to put this together after all these years to have him mess it up."

Kagome nodded and stood. "Alright, alright. What am I wearing again?" she asked. She turned to the young maiden, holding up her outfit, and gasped. "It's beautiful," she said with awe. Yukina nodded and walked forward to begin helping Kagome prepare for the Winter's day ball.

On the other side of the castle, Youko was pacing around his study. The only difference was that he was completely ready for the coming dance, as he had been for the past hour or so. He had done everything imagionable to get ready for that night, but now that he didn't have anything else to do to take his mind off of what was going to be happening in a short time, he allowed himself to stress out and pace.

"You're going to wear a whole in the carpet," Hiei commented from the corner. The fire demon had tried to get the stubborn pince to calm down for the entire night, ever since the man had decided that he was going to royally muck things up. Youko just growled at him and ignored his comment. "Will you at least take a different path? We don't need to replace this thing as well as all the other things we need to do, you know."

Kurama complied without a word. After a few minutes of silence, he growled again. "Please, remind me again why I'm _not _going to mess this up?" He wasn't really expecting an answer, since he had asked the same question nearly twenty times in the past two hours.

Hiei shrugged. "You won't."

Youko shook his head. He knew he was worrying over nothing, but he couldn't help it. This would officially be the first time in nearly a century that he had to interact with a woman, the staff not included, on a formal level. Before, all of the arguing and stuff with Kagome had been fairly informal and childish- not that he would admit that _he _had acted like a child-, and so this would be the first time that it would be mutual acting on both their parts for civility. Blinking, Youko absently wondered if any of that made sense, or if it was just his frazzled mind trying to explain away meaningless nerves.

It didn't help that it was also the first time in a long time that he had worn anything outside of his usual ensemble of silver silk. For tonight, all of the men in his service had decided that he desperately needed a wardrobe change. They had dug through his entire store of clothing, hunting through dust and old, musky trunks to find what they deemed fit for tonight.

So now, Youko was sporting a deep blue tunic over a lighter colored shirt. It was apparently chosen to represent the changing winter, dark nights becoming lighter as the season came to a close. Kurama personally thought it was a load of shit, but that was just him. They had also spent hours searching for the breeches he was forced into, matching within a shade to the sky-colored shirt. His boots, which reached to his knees with a folded-down top, were matched perfectly to his tunic.

According to Keiko, who had had the final say over what Youko would wear, the silver embroidery, done over the every article of clothing except the boots, would adjust for Youko's silver hair and fur. And they couldn't have even left his hair alone, either! They had forced him into having the entire top layer pulled back into a small tail, 'to show what a pretty face' he was allegedly born with.

All in all, even if the others said he looked dashing, Youko felt like a fool. He wasn't used to so much color!

"If you don't leave now, you're going to be late," Hiei pointed out. He shifted his gaze to the closed door.

Youko hesitated for a moment, then yelled at himself. What was he, a mature prince or a young boy at his first gathering with a grown woman? He continued to yell at himself as he made his way to where he would wait, at the bottom of the staircase, for Kagome to join him.

When he got there, however, all of his second guessing returned. He wondered if this was all a horribly bad idea, if he would make a fool of himself and never be able to live it down.

He was saved from working himself into a nervous wreck by the door opening ominously. Youko fixed his gaze onto Kagome as she entered into the room, gowned in a breath-taking dress. A small part of Youko's mind wondered if Keiko had any choice in Kagome's outfit as well as he watched her walk towards him, descending the marble staircase.

Her gown seemed to be the silvery moonlight itself. It flowed with her every movement, the skirts so loose that they could probably be cut up and used to make another two outfits and still have material left over. The sleeves were designed to hang off of her shoulders, with excess material used to widen the sleeves as they approached her wrists. Her hair had been re-curled, with half gathered into a knot at the back of her head and the rest hanging loosely about her shoulders.

As she approached, the stunned prince could pick out white embroidery where the bodice would have normally been. She came to stand in front of him, and Youko let out a shaky breath that he hadn't realised he had been holding in.

Kagome smiled nervously. "Um, so what now?" she asked. After all, she had never been to a ball before; she didn't know what came next.

Youko held out his arm. "Would you care to dance?" he asked her in a very gentlemanly tone of voice. Somewhere music began to play, a drifting waltz. Kagome took the proffered arm and they walked, side by side, to the middle of the dance floor. Neither said a word as they began to spin and dance across the shining floor.

There was no reason for either to say anything. They came to a silent agreement to just take in the sight of the other and not ruin the moment with meaningless chatter when they would have months ahead of them to fill with idle talks. The music continued to weave itself about the couple, drawing them deeper into the spell it cast over unknowing hearts year after year.

The peace was shattered late into the night, after Kagome and Youko had been dancing for hours and completely oblivious to how long they had been alone together. The doors that led to the rest of the castle burst open and crashed to the wall, startling the dancers and causing them to jump apart.

A young boy, his hair a mess of twigs and old leaves, soaked to the bone, panted heavily. Various scratches and bruises dotted his skin. His threadbare breeches were torn, but they were in better shape then his shirt, which had become rags held together by small bridges of string. He leaned heavily against the door, the telltale signs of bone deep exhaustion wrought over his face.

Kagome gasped and ran forward. "Souta!" she cried. Youko followed her after a moment. The young woman caught her brother in time as his knees collapsed under his wieght. Up close, Kagome could see just how beat up he was. She didn't care, however, and didn't flinch as blood began to stain her dress.

Souta clutched his sister, his eyes welling up with tears. "Kag'me, 's da! 'E's fallen right sick, coughin' and wheezin' and spittin' up blood. Kag, 'e needs 'elp! I wus sent ta get ye, since ye always seeming teh know what herbs te use on sick folk." Kagome soothed her hysterical brother as he sobbed and stammered out what had happened.

After seperating panicked rambling from truth, Kagome picked out that her father had fallen ill to the winter version of the Cold Fever, the same illness that had killed her mother and stuck both Kagome and Souta when they were a lot younger. Souta, worried for the father he adored and looked up to, had gotten Kenshin, the baker, to watch and care for Mr. Higurashii while Souta went after Kagome.

What surprised Kagome was that all of his wounds were from natural obsticals in his way and not from one of the last three cursed beings that dwelled in the forest. That was expained away when he told her that he hadn't stopped for anything. It also explained his current state. And, when her young brother had come up on the castle, he claimed to hear Buka's bray and know that Kagome was there. After that, he had gotten one of the staff members- Yukina, by the description- to tell him where he could find his elder sibling.

Kagome sat back on her heels after laying her brother on the floor gently. She worried at her lip, emotions battling inside her chest. She desperately needed to go, she knew that.

Apparently Youko knew that as well, as he sighed slowly. "You need to go help him, Kagome," he said gently. Kagome looked up and met his eyes. "Your father is dying, and no matter what kind of past you had with him, he's still your own flesh and blood. Knowing you, if he dies without you doing everything you possibly can, it'll eat you from the inside out."

Kagome blinked. "But...why?" She couldn't understand this, the shock of everything that Souta had said and his prescence were preventing her from fully comprehending the reasoning behind Youko's words.

The prince stood and held out a hand. "Come with me for a moment." When she hesitated, he added. "I'll have someone come and take care of your brother. Please?"

Kagome nodded and put her hand into Youko's. He helped her up, then began leading her towards the western wing of the castle. The only time he stopped was to tell Yuusuke about Souta.

Kurama led Kagome all the way to his private study. When he let her in, he went immediately to the fireplace. Lifting and setting aside the vase, which held the cursed rose, he picked up the mirror. Turning to Kagome, he tried to ignore the sliver of fear that settled over him every time he saw the rose in its current state- a single, velvety petal, hanging on by sheer will alone.

He held the silver mirror out to Kagome. "Here, take this." Kagome took it gently, looking at it curiously. "If you look into it and wish to see something enough, it will show it to you. It was my mother's, and she used it to keep an eye on my father whenever he went out on business."

Kagome shook her head. "Youko, I can't take this! This was your mother's, and it must mean a lot to you for you to keep it in here..."

Kurama cut her off. "It doesn't matter. It's mine to give, and I'm giving it to you. I want you to take it, and use it to remember everyone." He had a finality in his voice that brooked no arguement. "Just promise that you won't forget us all."

Kagome nodded, looking up at Youko with watery eyes. The fox was surprised when Kagome leaped forward and enveloped him into a hug. He could feel her trembling with tears, whether from sadness at going or relief of being let go to tend to her father, he didn't know. He brought his arms up and returned the embrace.

The only problem was, he didn't want her to go. He wanted to keep her there, in his arms, forever. She felt so right with him. He had never felt like this with anyone, he had never wanted someone so much that it hurt to think of losing her forever. He wanted to be able to spend long nights, arguing over meaningless things. He wanted to wake up with her laying next to him, to watch her as she slept peacefully beside him.

Which is what made letting her go so much harder. It was the last thing he wanted to do, yet he knew he couldn't keep her with him. They didn't belong together, no matter how right she felt in his arms. It would kill her if her father died without her there, and both Youko and Kagome knew it. Youko wouldn't be able to bear seeing her with dull eyes, day after day, knowing that he had prevented her from being next to her dad when he died.

It was that thought that finally forced him to pull out of her arms. Kagome looked up at him, her eyes catching the dull torchlight. With a heavy heart, Youko watched Kagome turn around and run from the room, no doubt to gather her things and take her brother back to her home.

Youko could feel his heart shattering. Somehow, he knew that this would be the last time he saw her like this. And it hurt, it hurt him so much. How could this have happened to him, falling in love only to realize what he had a moment too late?

Kagome quickly left, leading Buka at a run. Souta was half-concious and tied to the donkey so he didn't fall off. Kagome wished she could have had time to say goodbye to the others, but her father needed her as soon as possible. So she ran, spurred on by a sorrow filled roar that followed her into the dark depths of the forest.

* * *

End Chapter

* * *

Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please review. 


	17. Chapter XVII

A/N: I would have gotten this out sooner, but I had to completely rewrite Inuyasha's scene about five times before I was satisfied with it.

Moving on, I'm determined to make this note short. I'm just going to ask if there are any requests for the final battle, to let you know that there are only three more chapters for this story at the most (my limit is twenty), and that I'm listening to the perfect song for writing the rest of the story, especially the ending scene, which I will reveal at the very end as a thank you to the band for making it.

One last thing- are any of you completely against certain endings? Like humour, happy, sad, angsty, general, action/adventure endings? At all? Please let me know, so that I can calculate that into the rest of my story. I'll try to accomidate everyone, but since I've basically got it written already, that may be a bit difficult. But I _will _try, and I guess that's what counts.

Now, enough of this. I apologize for this being so short, but I've already got the rough layout for the last three chapters, so there's not much more I could do to make it longer. Sorry.

* * *

The village was quiet when Kagome and Souta passed through. Snow had begun to fall, drifting lazily over the two travelers. The town looked like something from a fairytale. Kagome didn't even notice as they passed through the town square and out of the village bounds. She was too busy keeping Buka moving forward. 

They had traveled all night when they left, and then all day the next morning. They had only stopped to water Buka and give the faithful pack animal a short rest before moving on. Kagome had kept her feet moving, but it had long ago become a mechanical movement. One foot in front of the other, again and again, until she reached her house. Then she could stop for a moment's rest before confronting her father.

Finally, nearing midnight with the full moon high overhead, Kagome caught sight of her home. With a weary smile, she hurried Buka the last few yards to the house. She needn't have worried about the old beast; Buka sped up at the sight of the rundown barn, knowing that a hot meal and warm stall were only feet away.

"Souta, we're here," Kagome said. She shook her brother's shoulder and woke him from a tired sleep. "I need you to get off Buka so I can put him in his stall, alright? You go on inside and get to bed. You need sleep." Kagome deftly untied Souta from Buka's back and helped to slide him off of the animal.

"'ll tell Kensh'n 'nd Kaoru yer here," the young boy mumbled sleepily before stumbling into the house.

Kagome took hold of Buka's bridle and led him into the barn. She picked out a clean stall and lead him into it, turning him around so that she could undo his bridle and the packs on his back. She threw all of the tack outside the stall and proceeded to wipe him down, giving him meaningless murmers of praise and topping it off with some food. She apologized for not having any hot mash before locking him in the stall.

Content munching was her only answer. Kagome picked up her bags and trudged to the house. She didn't even bother taking off her boots when she walked inside; she was too tired and there was nobody in the room to greet her anyway. She set the packs down just inside the doorway and made her way to her father's room.

As soon as she opened the door she saw Kenshin's red head sitting next to her father. The baker turned and smiled at Kagome in greeting, then turned back to Kagome's father. Kaoru appeared from the side, carrying a bowl of steaming water. She nodded to Kagome and set the bowl down next to Kenshin, who proceeded to dip a cloth in the liquid and bathe Mr. Higurashii's forehead.

Kaoru walked up to Kagome. "Hello, dear. It's alright, he's doing as well as can be expected." Kagome nodded. "We're trying to sweat out the fever, and so far it seems to be working."

Kagome suddenly noticed how stifling it was inside the house. The fireplace in the corner of her father's room was built up as high as possible. Both Kenshin and Kaoru were wearing white cotton, both nearly drenched in sweat. Kagome could feel perspiration gathering on her forehead and moved to wipe it away.

She swayed dangerously and shot out a hand to grab the doorframe. Instead, she latched onto Kaoru, who clucked her tongue in disapproval.

"What are we going to do with you? First Souta comes in, only half aware, and then you come in on the brink of collapsing." Kaoru's grip on Kagome's arm was like steel, the only thing keeping Kagome balanced. "You, my dear, are going to sleep and not worry about your father for a bit. Kenshin and I can take care of him while you rest, and we'll let you take over as soon as we think you've recovered."

Kagome tried to say that she was fine, that she would be able to take care of her dad and that they could go back to their own house, but her mouth was too dry. Only a croak left her lips, her tongue practically glued to the roof of her mouth.

Kaoru led Kagome into her room, forcing the young brunette onto her bed. Kagome didn't have any strength to fight back. When a glass was placed to her lips, she drank the water greedily. After her thirst was sated, she laid back and her eyes closed of their own accord. She could hear Kaoru talking and tried to pay attention, but it was too much of an effort. Slowly, she fell asleep.

* * *

A handful of days later, Kagome and Souta were taking their own turns at keeping vigil over their father. At the moment, it was Kagome's turn to sit in the hot room and make sure their father didn't hurt himself with all of his hallucinations. Souta was somewhere in the other part of the house, probably sitting and staring into the fire. Kagome knew she would be, in his position. 

Kaoru had walked the two children through the steps in caring for their dad, and then had left saying she would check in later in the week. Kagome couldn't find enough words to express her gratitude towards the strange woman. She wouldn't be there, sitting next to her only remaining parent, if Kaoru hadn't stepped in with her husband.

However, now Kagome couldn't do anything but wait. Things were looking very bad for the elder Higurashii, and he only had a small chance of coming out of the fever alive. It ate at both Kagome and Souta, and each showed it in their own ways.

Kagome would sit there for hours, drifting off and letting her mind worry in circles over her father. She knew she should have been doing something constructive, anything to get her mind off of the now always stifling room. She should have read, gotten her book and drifted off to a fairytale land where her problems paled compared to those of the protagonist's. Yet, the only book in her possession was in the bag that she had taken from the castle; the same one with the enchanted mirror.

She didn't want to look into the reflective surface and see the inhabitants of the castle. It would mean that she would never go back there, and she didn't want that to happen. Still, she had made a promise to Youko. One she wanted to keep, and was putting off using the excuse of her father's illness.

Shaking her head to stop her past dwelling, Kagome looked up at the sound of a door opening. Souta poked his head into the room.

"Kagome?" he asked. "In'yasha's at th' door. 'E wants teh see ye. I tried ta be telling 'im teh go 'way, but he won't be leavin'."

Kagome nodded and stood. "You watch over dad and I'll tell him to leave us be, okay?" After recieving a nod from her brother, and switching positions, she made her way to the door.

She opened it to reveal the black haired boy that had been after her affections since childhood. He hadn't changed at all; in fact, he seemed to have sunk deeper into whatever muck he was born from since she had last seen him. Sighing tiredly, she leaned against the door. "What do you want, Inuyasha?" she asked.

Inuyasha drew himself up, trying to appear regal. However, Kagome couldn't help but compare him to Youko. She tried not to, but she was unable to stop herself. Where Youko was a graceful phantom, Inuyasha was an awkward puppy. He had none of the finesse and air of the prince, his attempts at appearing commanding and fake silent demands for respect made him look like a childish fool. He had nothing against the arrogant fox, not even his intentions towards Kagome.

Inuyasha cleared his throat, the wind catching the sound and bringing the smell of alchohol towards Kagome's face. "I wanted to know if there was anything that I could do to help you, my dear Kagome."

Kagome shook her head. "Thank you, but we'd rather be left alone." She tried to shut the door, but was stopped by a foot forcing itself inbetween the doorframe. Anger spiked, her frustration channeling into agitation. "Inuyasha, leave us alone please. We don't need any help."

Inuyasha's face appeared concerned, but Kagome could see a flicker of something she didn't like in his eyes. She couldn't catch it, but she knew it would eventually bring trouble. "Kagome, you're a woman alone in this house. Women shouldn't be alone without a man to watch over them."

Kagome fisted her hand and placed them furiously onto her hips. "So, I'm a helpless maiden, am I? I'll have you know that both my brother and my father are in this house as well. Or did you conviniently forget about them?"

Inuyasha's brow furrowed. "A mere boy and an invalid couldn't help if bandits came to call." At that comment, he seemed to be searching for some sort of reaction from Kagome. He got one, most definately, but the raven-haired fury didn't think it was the one he wanted.

"A mere boy he may be, but he came to find me when nobody else would. He walked through the forest, the one which nobody before us had come back from alive," _with good reason, _she added silently, "and brought me back here to help care for my father. They are both bigger men than you have ever been," she hissed.

Inuyasha straightened angrily. "That goes too far. You need someone to watch over you and make sure that you aren't attacked by the bandits that live in the forest." He placed a hand on the door and tried forcing the door inward.

Tried. Kagome, thanking every moment in which she had helped work at any sort of labor both at home and the castle, held it in position fairly easily. Inuyasha was weak from not doing anything but drink, and it didn't take a genius to see what that had brought over him. "You will not step foot in this house. And where did you get the idea that _bandits _are what cause people to disappear in the forest?" she accused.

"It's the only explaination! Bandits take people and sell them as slaves overseas, taking women and turning them into toys for their every whim." He tried to press forward, but couldn't even disturb the door a fraction of an inch.

"The only explaination? Have you ever thought about the fact that some people, like myself, didn't _want _to leave?" Kagome figured there wasn't any harm in twisting the truth a bit, as nobody would believe that demons and the like killed any mortal to enter their domain. Besides, after a while, she really hadn't wanted to leave. A pang in her chest forced the sad thoughts from her mind.

"There was a perfectly wonderful place where I met a lot of kind people who let me stay there after I got lost." That was true enough. "After a while, I didn't feel like coming back. I didn't see a reason to, until I learned about my dad." Again, that was true. She really hadn't seen a reason to leave, especially since she had more friends there than she had in the entire village.

Inuyasha growled. "Kagome, they have you brainwashed! There is no castle there outside of the one where the last known inhabitants died there over seventy years ago. Everyone knows that!"

Kagome glared and chose to defend the people who had treated her with respect and care during the stay. Well, most of them had. For the most part. "Have you ever thought that there are other explainations, different things that happen without a logical reason? Did you ever stop to think, using what little brainpower you have left after all of your alchoholic binging, that maybe they don't _want _to be found?"

Inuyasha smirked. "Prove it," he said simply.

Kagome stopped. She began to grow nervous; she hadn't wanted to have to take out the mirror so soon. She would have preferred to not have anyone know about it if she could.

And in her moment of indecision, Inuyasha's eyes lit up in triumph. "I knew it, you _were _tricked!"

Kagome had never been able to take it when people insulted those she cared for. So she told Inuyasha she had proof and went to retrieve the mirror. Walking back to the door, she held it close to her chest. She couldn't let that go; it wouldn't be right, after everything that they had done for her.

Opening the door, which she had slammed shut behind her, she held the mirror out in front of her. She ignored Inuyasha's mocking, instead concentrating on the image of Youko. Why she chose him, she didn't know. The surface began to glow with a ghostly mist, clearing slowly.

The image that appeared was one that made Kagome even more depressed than before. Youko was sitting in his study, staring into the fire. He had his head down, his hands hanging off to the side. His ears drooped slightly, just enough to show a bit of what he felt inside. Somehow, Kagome knew it was because of her that he looked so desolate.

She held the mirror up to Inuyasha. "There, you see? That's a part of the castle, and that's one of the people whom I stayed with." She moved the mirror when Inuyasha made a grab for it. "He gave me this, as a reminder of everyone there, and you will not touch it." Her voice was ice.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at the image. "Kagome, that's a demon! What are you doing, showing demons in fanciful mirrors." Kagome heard his gasp of surprise when the image moved, with Yuusuke joining the image. The brunette butler was saying something to the oblivious prince, but there was no sound.

Kagome's voice shook with fury. "I am well aware that he is a demon. But just because he's different doesn't mean he's evil. He was one of the kindest people to me, him and Yuusuke both. I owe them so much, and I won't have you calling them bandits or evil people. Now get the hell out of my life."

Kagome slammed the door shut in Inuyasha's shocked face, quickly barring it shut. She had purposedly swore, when she knew that no proper girl would use such foul language. It gave her just enough time to barre the way inside, as Inuyasha began to scream and bang on the door moments later.

Kagome flipped the image to face her, and stared into it. If one were to look into her eyes at that moment, they would see the same sandness and longing that had plagued Youko the moment Kagome had turned her back to him. Of course, following the unwritten law that said that all lovers were oblivious to their feelings until the last possible moment, Kagome was completely unaware of the feeling that had been growing inside her for a long time.

Outside, while the young maiden stared into her magical mirror, Inuyasha stalked off to the village with cruel intentions in mind for the castle inhabitants.

* * *

End Chapter

* * *

Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please review. 


	18. Chapter XVIII

A/N: Another somewhat short chapter, but I put out two in a day and I'll most likely make it up with the next one. That one will probably be one of the longest yet, and will be told from the castle. It's about time we caught up with them, eh?

Moving on, there's going to be a slight overlay of time while I play castle catsup. I hope none of you mind, but if you do, know that it's necessary to set up the final confrontation. Then it's the final chapter -slash- epilogue before this story is shelved. Any final words, questions you would like to adress, creative criticism to make me laugh or point out a fairly large plot hole? I'll also love you and cite you if you point out any grammatical or spelling mistakes in my story...

Finally, like I mentioned in the last chapter, I would like to know if there are any endings you are totally against. Horror, sci-fi (yes, there _is _such a thing), happy, sad, angsty, action/adventure, complete fluff, random, etc.? I'll keep it in mind, even if I have the rough of the layout already planned out. Your input is important to me, I want to make this go down with as many happy readers as possible!

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Two hours later, there was another knock at the door. Kagome and Souta were sitting inside and talking, Kagome telling her little brother all about her stay at the castle. She kept a few choice bits out, like the insults and swearing, for example, as he wasn't _quite _old enough to hear such strong language. 

Kagome stood, just after telling her adoring and captivated audience about reading to Youko in front of the fireplace, and made her way to the door.

Night had long ago thrown itself over the world like a blanket, smothering the light and making it somewhat hard to see. It was cloudy outside, giving the impression that rain would cascade down on unwary travelers at any moment. It came as to some surprise, then, when Kagome peered out the window and saw a glittering sea of torches flickering just beyond the door.

A nasty feeling made itself known in the pit of Kagome's stomach, and she really didn't want to open the door. She jumped a good inch into the air when someone pounded on the door again. With a slightly shaking hand, Kagome opened the door slightly.

She was very annoyed when she saw Inuyasha standing there on her doorstep, but it was overshadowed by the unease she saw from the crowd of villagers standing just beyond him. It appeared as if every single soul living in their tiny, nameless town had appeared to follow him, and Kagome's feelings told her that it wasn't for a good reason.

She ignored the crowd and glared at Inuyasha, hiding her nerves behind a mask of anger. "What do you want, Inuyasha? I thought I told you to leave us alone." She made sure to put a healthy dose of venom into her voice.

Inuyasha looked down his nose at her. "You're mistaken, Kagome. You said for me to leave you the _hell _alone, or did you forget?" Angry muttering rose up from the crowd- most men believed that women shouldn't swear, since it gave them backbone and made them think for themselves. Most women believed that as well. "And I'm afraid that I can't comply with your wishes."

That ominous feeling increased. Kagome looked past the man standing in front of her, seeing so many people she knew. Kikyo, in all of her better-than-thou attitude, standing just a few steps behind Inuyasha with a sneer plastered over her delicate features. The butcher, who had been so kind to her and had always had a joke up his sleeve, looking at her with grave disappointment. People that Kagome had grown up with, whom had helped her and her family out when they were in a tight spot. Most surprising was Houjo, standing and shaking his head off to one side.

Kagome's momentary lapse in attention allowed Inuyasha to grab her wrist. "You're in danger, Kagome."

Kagome struggled, trying to pull her wrist out from Inuyasha's grasp. The dark haired drunk handed her arm to a burly person standing just behind him, his name momentarily slipping Kagome's mind. She tried to pull free. She wasn't strong enough to, and was dragged to stand at the bottom of her steps.

Inuyasha was left to sweep into her house. There were scraping noises and the like inside as he searched for something. Something which Kagome thought she knew would be.

Souta, blinking in confusion, was shuffled out by Inuyasha to stand next to Kagome. He looked up at his sister uncertainly. "Kag'me, what's goin' on? Why ur we out 'ere? Wha' 'bout pop?"

Kagome opened her mouth to say something, but a meaty hand came up from behind her and fixed itself over her mouth. Only muffled sounds of protest came out, and she watched wide-eyed as Houjo looked at her with pity.

The bookseller turned to Souta. "Hey, buddy. Kagome's been brainwashed, alright? Anything she might say will be a lie; anything she's told you is a product of her being under a lot of stress and manipulated by devils." The sandy haired young man patted Souta on the shoulder.

"Wot's branwashin'?" he asked. It was so innocent that Kagome sobbed. What were they doing?

Houjo looked down at the young boy and smiled. The smile made Kagome want to gag, it was so full of fervent belief in what he was told by Inuyasha and determination to stop something that wasn't happening. "Brainwashing is when someone tells you lies so many times that you begin to believe it."

Before Souta could answer, Inuyasha spoke up with a booming voice. Kagome looked up along with anyone else, and her heart sunk as she saw her mirror clutched in one of his grimy hands.

"Fellow men, fair maidens! In fall, we lost Kagome in the forest bordering our lands. We had thought she suffered the same fate as everyone else who had ever ventured into those dark and evil depths. But then she returned with her brave younger brother. And, when I went to see her, she was spouting meaningless nonsense about _kind _and _generous _demons!"

The crowd gasped. Kagome wanted to shut her eyes, turn off her hearing, or shake her head and scream that they were all wrong, that the people at the castle would never do anything to the village! But she could only watch with horror as the village began to become riled by Inuyasha's speech.

"They told her lies, made her believe that they would never hurt us when they were really getting us all fattened up for the cutting block. And how do we know? How did Kagome prove to me, fighting this witchcraft even as it held her in its clutches, that these animals were after us." He gazed into the mirror.

Kagome willed it to show something harmless, or, better yet, nothing at all. But like all sorcery in every fantastical story Kagome had ever read, the magic worked for anyone who had the enchanted object.

When the mirror was turned towards Inuyasha's fanatical audience, it was a picture of Youko. Kagome knew he was harmless, but from the picture of him arguing with Yuusuke (who looked perfectly human and rightly wary of Youko's infinate and fairly crude temper), it didn't work in Kagome's favor. Youko was baring his teeth in arguement, snapping and flexing clawed fists at his side. Kagome had been told that was one of his nervous habits, and knew that he wouldn't hurt one of his friends.

But the others didn't know that, and Inuyasha used that to his advantage. "He's getting ready to come after us, him and the rest of his demon horde. They'll come after us when we least expect it, in the night when we're all tucked in our warm beds and dreaming of better times! They'll come and take us as food, snatching up women and children alike. They'll turn us into slaves, made to dance at their beck and call. We cannot allow that!"

A large cheer rose up from the crowd as he continued his rave. "They'll slaughter us like mindless sheep unless we do something about it! We cannot let ourselves be wiped off the map, we cannot let this continue. We must do something!"

Inuyasha's words brought a spark of inspiration to the captive woman. Kagome bit the hand that blocked her mouth, and was glad to hear the yowl that followed. The hand was taken from her mouth and the one that had been holding her into place was pulled back as well.

She ran forward and dodged the people, leaping at the mirror in Inuyasha's grasp. There was a gasp of shock as she grabbed hold of the enchanted object. "Let go! Youko would never hurt anyone, he can't! That's part of the spell that's holding all of them, is that they can't raise a hand against any living being."

Inuyasha backhanded her and Kagome fell back to the ground. The mirror was still clutched in his hands, the raven haired man's grip so tight around the handle that his knuckles were bleached white. Kagome met his eyes and wished she hadn't; that wasn't the gaze of a sane person.

Inuyasha spoke at a growl, yet it carried to even the edges of the massive sea of bodies. "You're ill, Kagome. They have you thinking that they can't hurt a living creature, yet they have by taking away what makes you you." Hands grabbed Kagome and lifted her to her feet, holding her there in front of Inuyasha. "Don't worry, though. Soon the spell shall be broken and you can be free again." With a nod, the two men holding Kagome began to drag her away.

She kicked and screamed. "Don't hurt them! They wouldn't do anything, why won't you listen to me?" They just stood there and watched as she was carted away from them. The butcher still looked at her with disappointment, Houjo's gaze was still filled to the brim with pity for the young maiden. And yet none of them lifted a finger, even when it was obvious that Kagome was starting to bruise.

It came to a shock to everyone when Souta ran up to his sister and grabbed her skirt. The two men stopped pulling her and stood there dumbly.

Souta spoke directly at Inuyasha. "How can ye go an' be sayin' my sis's crazed 'nd sick in th' 'ead? She ain't told no lie in 'er life, an' ye know 't!" He stared up at Kagome. "I 'member meetin' some o' thems a' th' castle, and they was nice t' me. 'Specially Yuus'ke." He smiled.

Kagome returned the smile, glad that her brother had been there long enough to see the kindness of the inhabitants before they were forced to leave.

Then a third man picked Souta up like a sack of potatoes and threw him over his shoulder. Inuyasha screamed at the people, saying that 'the boy has been bewitched as well!' Neither sibling could do anything but scream at the newly made mob as they were taken to the village and thrown into one of the innermost cellars- the butcher's, to be precise.

The lid was clamped down onto them, and a chain wrapped around the handles to prevent their escape.

Kagome spent the next ten minutes pounding with all of her might, screaming her throat raw trying to reach someone who just might take pity on her enough to believe her story. She was just about to give up, when there was a return pound from the other side of the cellar door.

Muffled talking and the clinking of chains told the tale of someone trying to free her. Kagome and Souta both stood at the base of the exit, just waiting for their saviors to help them out.

It didn't surprise Kagome when Kenshin's hand dipped into the enclosure to help pull Kagome out into the night. It did give her quite a shock, however, when Miroku and Kouga were standing mere feet away trying to organize the heavy chain together. Her jaw dropped further, if it were possible, when Sango, the local seamstress, and Ayame appeared at her side.

"What are you all doing here?" she squeaked.

Miroku smiled brightly and Kouga shook his head. Miroku spoke up first, giving his reasons. "See, I never afore been un fer violencin', nor treatin' women 'n chillun with such a disrespectin' manner. I nev'r been known ye ta lie, Kag'me." Miroku's expression turned serious. "Nor 'ave I ev'r believin' In'yasha wudda gone thus far t' getye. 'E's none a sane no more, an't makin' me ashamed a havin' once called 'im friend if thus be what 'e wus hidin' allus time."

Sango shrugged. "I'm jus' 'ere a'cause he," she pointed to the player, "asked me t' 'elp ye."

Kagome turned to the other two, standing arm in arm, with suspicion. "I would've thought that you two would've been some of the first people to go with Inuyasha," she stated bluntly.

Kouga shook his head again. "I grew up while you were gone and realized that I thought of you as more of a friend than anything. I changed my opinions accordingly." Ayame agreed with him, and Kouga grew thoughtful. "Of course, I've never liked Inuyasha to begin with, so it's no big loss to me if he's going to his doom either way."

Kagome's face fell and she grew panicked. "That's right, how am I going to beat them there? I have to warn them!" She was about to take off running when someone grabbed her sleeve from behind.

She turned to face Kenshin, with Kaoru standing next to him holding the bridle of a plowhorse. "Hold up there, don't go charging in and making rash decisions. Here," he said as Kaoru handed her the reigns to the giant piece of horseflesh. "You take old Daisuke and ride as fast as you can to save your prince. We'll watch over your father and Souta until you come back to us." The unspoken _if you choose to come back _remained in the air.

Kagome nodded. She swung herself up onto the bare back, pulling the reigns with her. The horse danced under her, but Kagome kept her seat. Her skirts were kilted up to her knees, but she didn't care. She turned to voice her thanks when Miroku fixed her with an admonishing stare.

"Dun ye be thankin' us till ye get yer guy. Ye love 'im," he stated, "an' if any o' us deservin' some'un who love us wit' all thur heart, it be you." He pointed to the forest. "Now, git goin'!"

Kagome heeled Daisuke around and galloped off, not looking back. She rode as fast as she could, trusting the old horse to pick the best path.

Kagome found it eerie, not running into any of the cursed beings while she made her mad flight to the castle. It was even creepier when it began to rain. It wasn't even a small shower; it was a torrent, as if the heavens had decided to see just how much water could be soaked up into the ground until it became insubstantial.

To throw it off, she began to think about what Miroku had said. _Ye love 'im. _Did she really? She was so unsure, her emotions were all in a tangle...

Then something happened. She remembered the sheer panic at thinking she would be too late to save Youko, that he would be dead when she next saw him. She hadn't been worried about Yuusuke. She hadn't been worried about Yukina, or Shizuru, nor any of the other occupants that lived in Youko's palace. It had been only the silver haired fox demon that had held all of her worry and concern.

And it was with that clarity, the knowledge that she loved him with all her being, that Kagome rode up into the castle grounds. It was chaos, but Kagome was just relieved that she had made it to the place before much had happened besides old furniture being thrown out the shattered windows.

The feeling stayed with her until she looked up, only to see Youko and a shadow (most likely Inuyasha) dueling perilously on the rain-slickened roof. Kagome practically threw herself from Daisuke when one of them slipped and fell. She didn't even stop to consider that it was most likely Inuyasha- she would only believe that the one man to capture her heart was still alright and whole when she saw him with her own two eyes.

She fled up the stairs like a hawk, ignoring the fighting around her as she concentrated on her one goal: the roof.

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End Chapter

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Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please review. 


	19. Chapter XIX

A/N: An extra long chapter to make up for the last two small ones, just like I promised.

And, since I'm really sad after writing this (not to mention the music that I'm listening to is PERFECT for the ending story), I'm only going to write a few more things. First off, since nobody rejected any endings as evil, I'm writing it exactly as I want to. If you don't like it, you don't have to, but please tell me. I'd love to know. Constructive and creative criticism is awesome, and I would love for people to point out my flaws so that I can make this a better story all around.

Alright, last few things. There is only ONE more chapter here, and that will be both conclusion and epilogue. Then this story is getting shelved, and I hope that some of you will go back and criticize my other stories (as I believe this one is the best written of them all). Also, next chapter (which I hope to get out later today...otherwise I probably won't have time to write until Friday or so, and that would be oh, so cruel) I'm going to copy what I did in ACE and write down every single reviewer's name as a thank you and also post a song that I've been listening to non-stop as inspiration for writing the final chapters for Truth and that everyone should go to radioblogclub(dot)com and listen to while reading or just after so you get the mood. In fact, I would say that when I give it to you, you should reflect on it and see just how perfect it is.

One final thing: Some of you are well on your way to figuring out why I wrote this as I did. I'm a twisted, evil person...so I need to surprise you. I hope I will.

Okay, enough rambling. I've already gone on long enough.

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Youko had been sitting in his study, as he had been since Kagome left the castle, when Yuusuke entered and stared at him. The butler was very angry, even a fool could see that. And the depressed fox knew it had to do with him, but he didn't care. He didn't seem to care about anything anymore, and all because he was too thick to realize how he felt before it was too late. 

He sighed, which seemed to bring Yuusuke some courage to say whatever he wanted to. The tall immortal walked to stand directly in front of Youko and began to speak.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Youko? You've been sitting here on your sorry ass, wishing for something you let go of your own free will." Youko looked up with dead eyes as Yuusuke continued his rant. "You have no reason to be ths depressed at all! If anyone should be down, it should be the rest of us."

Kurama's head fell back and he stared at the ceiling. "You just don't get it Yuusuke."

The immortal flipped, his anger getting the better of him. "Don't get it? Don't get it? No, you don't get it, you annoying bastard!" The butler ignored the spark of anger that lit up in the prince's eyes as he turned his face to Yuusuke again. "So you fell in love and blew it. Big deal. Everyone falls in and out of love everyday, and in case you've forgotten, you're not the only one out there suffering from heartache. You have no right to be acting like this, since it's not only your fault that we're in this situation, but it's also your fault that we'll all be stuck like this until the end of time!"

Youko stood furiously. "I know! Gods be damned, I know all that, you don't need to point it out to me." He clenched his fists and loosened them, agitated but knowing the spell wouldn't let him hurt anyone. Even if he really wanted to.

Yuusuke snorted. "Bullshit. You totally forgot, or you would be moving on. If you had had any courage, you would have told Kagome how you felt before she left. But no, we poor cursed souls had to make the mistake of working for a childish prince, too cowardly and proud to admit to the one person he's ever loved how he feels!"

"You don't know how hard it is, damn it!" How Youko wanted to just wring Yuusuke's neck between his pale hands, to watch the face grow pale and his lips gain that blue tint from lack of oxygen. He snarled his frustration. "Just shut up and leave me be! Leave me to wish I was off the face of the earth, that I had never been born so that none of this would have happened." He turned away with finality.

It was lost on the other occupant of the room. "There you go again, taking the coward's way out. Why don't you just face the fact that the only way you _can _move on is to take responsibility for your actions and accept it. It'd do the world a favor."

Youko spun and grabbed Yuusuke by the collar, pulling him face to face. "What do you want from me? What more can I do after I've screwed things up so badly that they can't be repaired, hm?"

"Learn from your mistakes. Move on. And don't ever say that you didn't deserve to be born. If you would stop and think for a single moment, everything that happened is _your _fault. Both the good and the bad."

Youko took a deep breath and threw Yuusuke back. The brunette stumbled slightly before standing and straightening his collar. Before turning to leave, Yuusuke said, "Learn to think as the prince your supposed to be, and not the spoiled brat you were a long time ago." He left.

Youko turned back to the fire but didn't sit down. Instead, he thought about everything Yuusuke had said. Looking back, he realised that his friend had been trying to break him from his funk. And he had made some clever points as well.

It was true that it was all Youko's fault that they had been cursed and would be cursed for the rest of time, but there were other things to counter it. It was his fault that Yuusuke and Keiko were together after he sent the rambunctious young man (at the time Yuusuke was in his early teens) to Keiko for a punishment. It was his fault that Yukina and Hiei were hired after the fire demon had insulted him and beaten his younger self and his pride hadn't let him let it go. It was also his fault that none of them were fired after all this time, when otherwise they would have been sent away long ago for various reasons.

Sometimes it was advantageous to being a spoiled child. It made it so much easier to get his parent's to believe that it was some of the village children that had ruined the garden when Touya was still learning about flora, or when the barn door was unhinged after Kuronue accidently forgot to put away one of the more spirited stallions.

He was right about all that, and then some. But before Youko could dwell on anything else, the door burst open and Keiko came stumbling in.

She was breathing heavily, which meant that she had to have been somewhere on the other side of the castle when she was sent to find him. Calming down just a bit, she choked out her message. "Strangers at...the gate. They're trying...to break down...the doors. They've got pitch...pitchforks and other farming...tools as weapons, and...and they're being led by someone holding the...enchanted mirror."

Youko's face slackened in surprise. That could only mean... "Quick, get all of the staff down to the gates and hold them off as much as possible. I'll go see how many there are from the rooftops and join you as soon as possible." He made a move to brush past the housekeeper and was stopped.

"No, you go to the roof and stay there. The rest of us can hold them off, but you're not an immortal and you haven't had nearly as much experience in fighting as the rest of us. And we're going to fight." She had a determined look in her eyes that Youko had to question.

"And what about the curse, or are you forgetting about the inconvenience about not being able to hurt people?" he asked.

Keiko smiled. It was surprisingly malicious for the young woman. "Oh, we know that part. But here's the clincher- the other day Yuusuke punched Kuwabara and they got into a decent fist fight until we all realised that the curse wasn't kicking in. We sat and talked about it, and figured that the spell has weakened enough for us to defend ourselves due to you falling in love. So you just stay out of the fighting and let us handle it."

She left before he could say anything, and it took him a moment more to realise what she said. If the curse was weakening, and it was because of him, then they really had a chance to survive this. He also didn't miss the undertone in Keiko's voice that thanked him for choosing the perfect time to admit to his feelings.

Then Youko was tearing out the door to the roof, for once acting like a ruler by taking the advice from people who knew more about a situation than he did.

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Yuusuke gathered everyone at the door. The intruders were still pounding on it, doing everything in their power to get the wooden doors open. It was a good thing that Jin had become a wind demon in this respect; the only thing keeping the people out was the fact that there were gale-force winds keeping them closed. 

It made it a bit difficult to speak over, but he managed. Somehow. "Listen up everyone!" he began. All heads turned to him, and he saw Keiko come back from talking with the prince out of the corner of his eye. "We've got to stop them here, now, before they get a decent foothold in the castle. Any ideas?"

Nobody spoke up. They all just shifted uneasily, looking between each other. Yuusuke sighed with exhasperation.

Hiei tilted his head a bit. "Bring out all the stops," he stated simply. Yuusuke motioned for him to continue. "It's not like the immortal can die, and we demons have defences for ourselves. So we use everything we have in one last stand, do anything that can lower their courage."

Yuusuke smirked. "I knew there was a reason I liked you." He ignored the piercing glare that greeted him after that statement. "Alright, we need the element of surprise on our hand. Everyone, you have two minutes to hide!" People started to scatter to their chosen battlegrounds. "Jin, when we're all prepared, let the wind die and get up to the ceiling. You're our first attack." Yuusuke ran away, hiding behind the banister.

Jin waited for the right moment before cutting off the wind. It was right after they had hit the door once again, and he had plenty of time to jump up and use the air to float him to the top of the cavernous room.

The door burst open. People began pouring in, torches and pitchforks in hand, flooding into the room. They were led by a black haired somebody whose eyes were flickering from one corner of the room to the other. They all pulled to a stop, looking around in confusion.

One of them spoke up. "'Ey, Inuyasha," the man asked in a gruff voice. "I thought ye wur sayin' thems all'd be 'ere ta fight! Alls I be seein' is un abandonened rum, wit' null life in't."

The leader, now identified, turned around. "Something's wrong, they should be here! I know it. They should be here." He kept repeating his own mantra while the crowd became annoyed.

Jin got a wonderful and glorious idea in his mind. Calling on his windy specialty, he made the doors close 'themselves'. Everyone jumped spectacularily, and Jin rolled over in the air trying to keep in his laughter.

Yuusuke caught on to the agitation created by the ever mischeivous wind youkai and laughed out loud. He was in the perfect position to do so, as it echoed off of the stone walls and wrapped around the villagers like a ghost.

They began to panic. "Inuyasha, wut's thus?" one woman asked. "There be spooks attackin' us all, mark mine words!"

Inuyasha growled. "There's no such thing! It's the castle people, it's all them." He looked up. "Search the place and we'll find them."

That was a good enough cue for the castle staff- with various battle cries, they seemed to just pour out from every crack and possible hiding spot in the entire room.

The tresspassers were only frozen for a moment before swarming out to meet the opposition. Their forces clashed violently, the shedding of first blood lost within seconds. The demons were using any of their abilities- Jin with his wind, Touya with his ice and Hiei combining fire and sword were the most devistating- while the immortals used anything remotly resembling a weapon.

Keiko was doing some pretty decent damage, only having a handful of scratches and minor bruises as she swung a broom around to catch another unaware villager in the gut. Shizuru topped it off by bringing down her skillet on his head. The metal pan became severly dented, and Shizuru sighed over the loss of such a good cooking utensil.

Yukina was wandering about, making sure that the people on both sides had no fatal wounds. The villagers nearly fainted when she used her ice abilities to heal them, and ended up fleeing out the now open doorway back to where they came from. It didn't help that Kuwabara, wielding a very menacing looking spoon in his hand, was watching over the love of his life with eagle eyes.

Through the confusion, as bursts of fire and ice combined with wind to take out countless fighters, nobody noticed a lone shadow climbing the steps at a run.

* * *

Youko walked out into the rain, picking his way onto the balcony with care. Even if he had extremely good balance due to his demon senses didn't mean he could make a potentially fatal mistake and slip over his own two feet. He had long ago put on his old silver garments, and silk was known to be slippery. He didn't want to make a novice mistake, so he took off his slippers and tossed them back into the building. 

Walking in bare feet, he peered over the balcony edge to see what was happening out on the grounds. He hadn't thought he would see any people still standing there, as the servants wouldn't have allowed any of this to go without a fight. It did amuse him when he saw them fleeing back to the forest, their sputtering torches resembling panicked fireflies as they ran back to the village, glowing slightly in the distance.He hoped half-heartedly that they would meet up with one of the guardians.

He heard a noise behind him and turned. A man stood behind him, with black hair that was soaked by the rain. He wore the garbs of a farmer, and dirty ones at that. In one hand he held a makeshift sword. In the other, the man clutched the mirror that Youko had given Kagome before she left.

Anger welled up in the demon prince, and he glared into the dark purple eyes of the intruder. "What did you do to Kagome?" he bit out. "She had better not be hurt, or I swear you will regret laying a hand on her."

Inuyasha laughed. "Oh, so you must be the big bad demon that brainwashed my little flower." His insane eyes met Youko's. "You're not so scary." In fact, according to the slightly drunk village boy, the fox looked like a drowned rat. His ears had the fur stuck to them, his hair was seperated into little stringy clumps plastered to his head, and his shirt was quickly becoming see-through. All in all, combined with his death-like glare, it made Inuyasha want to giggle. "And I would never hurt _my _Kagome."

Youko's glare intensified, if that were at all possible. "Kagome isn't some possession for you to give or take. She isn't either one of ours except by her own choice, so don't you dare claim her as your own if she doesn't even want you."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes to match Youko's. "Oh, really? So why isn't she here? In fact, why would she leave at all if she didn't want to be with me and not some stinking, second rate, lowlife _beast_?"

That was too much for the proud demon. He lunged at Inuyasha with a roar, not wanting the person in front of him to spout any more of his lies and echo the slight doubt that had been plaguing him since Kagome left. He couldn't help but think that she left so quickly, did she even miss him?

Inuyasha ducked out of the way and was standing over near the balcony rail. He stood there, breathing heavier than he was before and smiling with malevolence. "What, the poor widdle ickle fox can't even fight pwoperwy?" he said in baby talk. Then he laughed.

Youko lunged at the person, his hands outstretched in front of him, reaching for the man's neck. His hands wrapped around the slender, delicate appenadge as his momentum carried them over the stone ledge and onto the roof below.

They landed with a dull thud muffled by a crack of thunder that peeled through the air. They began to grapple in the rain, Youko straddling Inuyasha in order to hold him down. The night hid Inuyasha's face while Youko's stood out like a ghost in an empty room. The young demon's hands were being pried from the villager's neck, slowly, inch by inch.

Before their positions could be switched, Youko leapt up and danced away from the pathetic slash from the boy's toy sword. He looked about him for something to use himself in defence, and spotted a bit of a weed peeking out from a small crevace in the roof face. He plucked it and used his abilities to make it lengthen and sharpen into a point, becoming a deadly sword.

He brought it up just in time as the other man's sword was brought down on him. If they were both metal, they would have rang out their song into the dark night. However, there was no noise as they began to fiercly battle for their lives.

For once, Youko was glad that Hiei had beaten him all those years ago. After he had been put into his place, the young boy prince had bullied his father into making the short fighter give him lessons. It was quite possibly the only thing that was saving his life. The village boy wielded a sword surprisingly well, like it was a natural extension of his arm.

They dodged and attacked, defended and prusued all over the rooftop. The lightening was their spotlight, the thunder their audience that egged them on as they slipped and slid over the dangerously slick roof tiles. More than once both slipped and nearly got themselves killed, just barely bringing their weapon up to block a fatalistic blow from their opponent.

And then, miraculously, it was Inuyasha's boots that was his undoing. They both stepped on the same patch of wet tile and slipped, but Youko's bare feet were able to cling to the roof while Inuyasha couldn't get a grip and fell to his knees. His hands went out in front of him to catch himself, his sword clanging as it rolled off the room and fell onto the ground below.

Youko leveled his weed-made-sword to the neck of his enemy and glared. He wanted desperatly to kill him, to slice off his head and watch it as it followed the sword off the roof. Yet so many years under the curse had softened him, and he couldn't follow through with a killing stroke.

Instead, he opted to stare icily at the young man. "I want you to get out. I don't want to see your face again. And I want you to never lay eyes on Kagome again unless she tells you herself that she loves you." His voice was filled with contempt, rage shuddering just under the surface.

Inuyasha met his face defiantly and didn't move. Youko was about to prove that he was dead serious in his demands when a cry called out behind him, calling his name.

He turned to look up through the rain. He couldn't quite pick out the figure, but the voice was as familiar as his mother's was. Inuyasha was just as shocked as him when the sky lit up and illuminated Kagome's face in the rain. Her hair was a mess, and she looked like she was under a lot of stress, but she was there and that was all that mattered.

Kagome smiled down at Youko, glad to see that he was unhurt. It calmed her heart to know that it wasn't him that had fallen, and set her mind at ease that nothing had happened to him. Her eyes softened and they stood there, staring at each other for what seemed like an eternity.

A flash of movement behind Youko caught Kagome's attention. "Watch out!" she cried, just in time.

Inuyasha lunged at Youko, his motions mimicking Youko's at the start of the battle. A feral snarl twisted his face and turned it into an ugly mask. Youko brought up the sword automatically, years of training ingrained into his very soul taking over. He brought it up to plunge into Inuyasha's stomach.

Inuyasha gasped in surprise, shock wrought over his face. His hands clutched the plant sticking from his torso as the momentum carried him forward to fall onto the roof.

Youko let go of his sword and released the energy, turning it once more into a harmless piece of foliage. He watched with detached emotion as his foe rolled down the roof and slowly fell off the side, too weak to stop himself from falling to his doom. It was only after another growl of thunder that Youko looked up to the balcony again.

Kagome stood there staring at him with fearful eyes. The prince idly wondered why she was like that, when he looked down and saw that Inuyasha's blood had gotten onto his shirt. It amused him a bit and he smiled slightly before climbing the roof to join Kagome on the stone ledge.

As soon as he was back onto flat ground, Kagome rushed to meet him. "What happened?" she asked, her hands bringing themselves up to touch where the bloodstain was, to make sure that he was whole and unhurt. Her heart was racing once again, she was out of her mind with fear that he was hurt beyond healing, and she just had to make sure that he was alright.

Youko grabbed her hands, which were feeling around his torso to make sure that there wasn't a gaping, bleeding whole in his stomach. He brought them out in front of him, holding them between his own clawed ones as their eyes met. "You came back," he whispered. "Why?"

Kagome blushed slightly and began to worry her lip. "W-well, I mean, Inuyasha was leading the villagers in a mob and I was...well, that is..." she trailed off, looking down.

Youko smiled. "You were worried about me, perhaps?" She nodded. "I could say the same about you. When I saw him walk out here, with your mirror in his hand..." Youko belatedly wondered what had happened to it, as it wasn't in the boy's hand when he fell, then shrugged it off. It didn't matter, as long as Kagome was here and safe.

Kagome looked up slightly. "He took it from me. I was so stupid, I showed him it while trying to defend you and prove that I wasn't kidnapped by bandits. I knew I shouldn't, but I did anyways, and it was so stupid of me! This is all my fault, if I hadn't acted so rashly, none of this would have happened." The young maiden knew that she was rambling and shut her mouth with a click.

Youko chuckled. "If you didn't do any of that, you wouldn't be standing here with me." He brought a hand under Kagome's chin and tilted her head so that her eyes met his. "Standing in the rain, about to become sick because you just couldn't resist my charm." Kagome was about to open her mouth to say something when Youko decided that the time for talking was done with.

He brought his mouth down onto hers, effectively cutting off anything she was going to say with a gasp. Feeling bold, Youko slid his tongue into her mouth, wanting to taste all of Kagome. She tasted so sweet, like ripe strawberries kissed by a refreshing rainstorm. Her mouth was so soft, Youko had never experienced anything like it.

Kagome's arms wrapped themselves around his neck, bringing their bodies closer to each other. Her mouth began to move shyly against his, her tongue tentativly responding to his. He encouraged her with pleasure, making her more at ease as they held each other in the rain.

It was more than either could ever have asked for, standing there like the last two people on the planet. The rain was pouring down over them, completely soaking the couple, but neither cared. They only knew each other, were unaware of the crashing thunder nor the flashing lightening as the weather seemed to dance around them.

Then Kagome's eyes widened as the kiss was broken off, Youko arching his back and crying out in pain as something attacked him from behind.

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End Chapter

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Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please review! 


	20. Chapter XX

A/N: Here it is, the final chapter. After this, there is no sequal. No continuation. It is being shelved, and it is being mourned, as this has been my favorite story to date.

Please note that I've gone over this story chapter NINE TIMES to get it right! It was so frustrating, but I really did want to get it perfect before I shipped it out. After all, this is what I've been leading up to, and my origional inspirational question from the movie of 'How the heck can that happen? It isn't logical!'

So remember me mentioning the awesmoe song that fits this? Yeah, everyone go listen to _Anthem of Our Dying Day_ by Story of the Year at www(dot)radioblogclub(dot)com (or some other place that allows you to listen to music) while reading this, or listen to it afterward and reflect on the final chapters. It is a perfect match for this story and has been a major influence on the entire writing of the final four or five chapters, I can't remember exactly how many. I have to thank the band for creating that song with all of my gratitude and appreciation. As I said, it is a perfect match.

Finally, the story that has been in my mind since watching Disney's Beauty and the Beast sometime last March or so in good ol' 2005 has been written. I have had it planned out since the beginning. I'm so glad you have read this, you can't know how much it means to have people reading something I not only enjoy writing, but actually enjoy coming up with. This is about my only story where I can honestly say I did well on.

And now, at the end of the ramble-that-wasn't-supposed-to-be-but-is, the thank you's.

**Thank you: **April-nee (first again!), regretfully-yours-Cassy-chan (Please, keep reading my stories and making me smile whenever I see your reviews, with their constant-ness. X3), KawaiiYuki, kimonoprincess, sarahthewierdo (Your reviews made me chuckle...often), XxcutiekatxX, Kitsune Kagome, Mizu shoubai, Inu-babe666, xxprincess-sakuraxx, Black Hands, Moondust Fireflash, inukuramaRmine, susie202, The Violent Tomboy, Raining Thunder, Deviant Kitsune, pitbull123, FuzzyPurpleWatermelons (whatever happened to that poor teddy bear you strangled way back in ch. 12?), Mizu Kitsune no Kaze, AnimeMoonlightGoddess, Kuronue's Forbidden Lover (caps are always cool!), deathsangel4729, pheonixkid, '-aphros-' (sorry if I made you cry at any point in my story...but I think that happy endings are used too much. Yeah, I'm twisted...), Youka-Chan, Mysticalflame, Akikazu, Dead Blood (What a lovely name...no, I'm serious. I really do like it.), and anyone else who read this story or will read it and review it in the future.

Edit Note: If this ending isn't your kind of ending, I have a story posted that is the alternate for this story. It replaces this chapter, and so if you would like a different reality to go for, go check it out. Its title, obviously, is _Alternate Endings_.

Edit Note II: Truth not has a theme song. In case you didn't figure it out, it's _Anthem of our Dying Day_ by Story of the Year. I've already explained why.

Now, the final installment of Truth. Enjoy.

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Kagome's eyes were wide in shock. She caught Youko as he slumped forward, not expecting the deadly, ivory-handled knife that was sticking out of his upper back. He clung to Kagome, his breath coming in gasps as blood flowed slowly from the wound just below his shoulder. 

Kagome looked up, and then wished she hadn't. Standing there, staring at Youko with hate and anger, was the last person she had hoped to see in that situation. It nearly broke her heart knowing that the one innocent soul whom she had thought to be friends with was there, killing the one person she loved. Yes, she had seen him in the mob. He had even talked to her brother, but she had never thought that Houjo would kill someone. She hadn't thought it possible.

The only thing she could choke out with her closed throat, as she supported a half-unconcious fox in the pouring rain, was, "Why?"

Houjo looked up and smiled with his boyish grin. It made Kagome sick to her stomach- he had just killed someone, and then smiled like it was as normal as getting dressed in the morning. "Kagome, I saw him attack you. I couldn't let you get hurt," he stated.

Tears welled up in Kagome's eyes, and she couldn't prevent them from mixing themselves with the rain. "What did you do? _Why_, Houjo? Don't you think that I wouldn't have come up here if I didn't want to?" She couldn't keep her voice from shaking as she turned from the person whom she had thought a friend and gently began to set Youko down on the marble floor.

Kagome laid him on his side, using one of her hands to try and stem the fatal blow to his left side. His eyes were glossing over, his vision was blurring dangerously. He was so thirsty, he was in so much pain...everything hurt, he just wanted it to stop! He couldn't prevent a small whimper from escaping his throat.

Houjo walked over and grabbed Kagome's upper arm, pulling her up forcefully. Kagome began to struggle as Houjo spun her to face him. "What do you think you're doing, Kagome? That's a dangerous demon there! He's going to kill you if you don't watch out, and that's if you're lucky..."

Kagome slapped him. "Go away Houjo! You just attacked the one man who treated me like a person, and not a possession to own. You attacked the one person who respected me for being me, and didn't try to turn me into some kind of glass doll!" Her voice was slightly hysterical.

Houjo shook his head, beginning to pull her away. He was strong enough so that Kagome couldn't pull herself free, but it was still a struggle. He began to speak softly, as if he were adressing a young child throwing a tantrum. "Kagome, he's got you tricked. Let's just get you back to the village, you'll see, it'll be alright..." He was treating her like a dumb animal.

Kagome began to cry harder, not wanting to leave. "Leave me alone! I want to stay with him, let me stay with Youko. Please, Houjo, I just want to stay!"

Youko heard her cries from his position on the bitingly cold stone balcony floor. He had to do something, Kagome was crying. He didn't want her to cry. He had tried so hard to make her happy, why was she crying?

He looked through hazed eyes and saw her trying to pull away from a chesnut-haired young adolescent. He looked like he was hurting her. Youko became angry and willed the plant seeds, stuck in the cracks of the stone, to shoot forward. For the second time that night, his plants imbedded themselves into the stomach of a village boy.

Houjo doubled over in pain, shock and the plant's poisonous venom running through his veins as he fell to the floor. He mouthed something, but no sound came from him and his neck muscles slowly slackened as the poison took over greedily. His eyes finally dulled with death as his head hit the stone.

Kagome didn't even pause. As soon as she was free, she fled to Youko's side. He was attempting to curl up into a fetal position, but was unable to; any movement caused by the knife created laces of pain screaming through the prince's entire body. Kagome's eyes strayed to the delicate handle sticking out from his bloody back, knowing it wasn't a good sign. She could see a dark pool of liquid forming under his body. There was so much blood...

She turned her attention back to his face, ignoring the other things as she tried to keep him from closing his eyes. "Youko?" she asked, swallowing a lump that was forming itself in her throat as she tried to sound brave and confident. "I need you to hang on, it'll be alright. We'll patch you up, you just need to wait long enough for Yukina to get up here."

Youko tried to laugh, but the attempt turned into a gurgling couch as blood began to drip from the side of his mouth. "Don't lie. I know- how bad it is," he gasped out. Things were quickly going downhill, his breath was becoming quicker. He could feel his heart pounding in his ears, could just see the blood that was welling up and spilling out of the deep wound from his back.

Kagome put a hand to his mouth. "Don't speak, you idiot!" she practically screamed, panic making her harsher than she wanted to be. "You'll just waste your energy when you should be saving it, saving yourself..." Her lip trembled slightly.

Youko took a hand and brought it up to Kagome's. He grabbed her hand and brought it up to his back, placing it as close to the hilt as he could without fainting from the pain. "Pull it out." When she tried to pull her hand back, he continued. "I want to look at you, properly, and," he had to pause for a breath before he could move on, "and I can't do that with this here."

Kagome nearly sobbed as she grasped the innocent-looking hilt. She took a breath, then wrenched it from its place. Youko screamed, the sound echoing through the night. Somewhere between their kiss and where they were, the rain had slackened to a small drizzle. There was no thunder to block out the heart wrenching cry.

Kagome gasped and pressed one of her hands to try and stop the stream of blood from the gaping wound. If anything, it was becoming worse. Too much. Should a simple knife wound bleed that much, she wondered somewhere in a dark recess of her mind that wasn't wild with panic. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Why did he do this?" she asked herself quietly in a half sob.

Youko stared into Kagome's eyes, feeling his life slipping from his body. He knew what was happening, and as much as he knew it would hurt her, he knew that he couldn't hang on much longer. It was all he could do to gather enough breath to speak again to the sad angel sitting beside him. A single tear fell onto his face from above. "Don't...apologize. My fault anyway...Sorry." He desperatly wanted to close his eyes, just sleep and leave the pain-induced haze that was covering him. But there was one last thing he needed to say.

Kagome's eyes shot open as she heard Youko's next words. "Love you..." he whispered before closing his eyes with a sigh.

Kagome looked down at him, disbelief coating her entire manner. "Youko, don't close your eyes!" she cried. She shook him gently, hoping that he would cry out in pain. She wished he would, instead of staying still like he did. "Don't leave me, do you hear me!" Her frame was shivering with desperation and fear, fear that the worst was happening and she couldn't do anything about it. Tears were once again flowing. She could feel her heart shatter when his chest ceased all movement.

"Youko! Dammit, answer me," she screamed at him. She leaned over his face, one of her hands still trying to stem the now non-existant flow of blood while the other began to beat his chest. "Don't leave! I can't follow you...I can't, and you can't leave until I tell you that I love you!"

Too late. Even as those words were uttered, deep in the bowels of the castle, in an abandoned study with dented and chipped stone walls, in a cracked vase coated with dust, the very last petal of the enchanted rose fell as the spell reached its end.

When Yuusuke and Keiko chose to look for their lord after the battle, they were shocked by the scene that greeted them. They had decided to look for him when they felt some sort of change in themselves, and when Jin complained with confusion that the wind wouldn't respond to him anymore.

They found him on the roof, laying in Kagome's lap. If they would have looked, they would have recognized the features that had belonged to him long ago, when the curse was first placed on him. The dark red hair, the fair skin and delicate features that were from his mother. If they would have seen his eyes, they would have been as green as the first blades of grass in spring, courtesy of a great-grandfather long since passed.

Instead, they couldn't shake the sight of Kagome crying her heart out over Youko's prone form.

* * *

It was only weeks after that Kagome let herself fully mourn her losses. She hadn't let herself break before then, for she had been too busy. First she had had to go and see how her father was doing, and found out that he had died while she was gone. He just stopped breathing one night. Then she had helped the entire castle to move out to various places. 

Yukina and Kuwabara had accompanied Kagome to her village after the castle was cleaned out and the dead buried. They met Kaoru and Kenshin, who had apparently been friends with Yukina's family. All four announced that they were leaving to go back to (or, in Kuwabara's case, go move to) Yukina's homeland, and left soon after that announcement. Kuwabara had last been seen trying to pluck up the courage to ask for the young maiden's hand in marriage before the carriage left and took them from sight.

Hiei had left soon after, not letting anyone know where he was going nor what he would do. He had never been outspoken, and never told anyone anything remotely related to his personal life. That was, he never did after Youko died.

Yuusuke, Keiko and Shizuru all moved north a few days after the others left, to some new city that was quickly growing in fashion style and size. Yuusuke had proposed before leaving, but had been seen arguing with the two women as they rode off down the road. They all found places to live in the new city, and Yuusuke had even been hired as additional help to building a large structure that would be the main attraction for the new capital.

Jin and Touya decided to move down south, where there were rumors of a land that was covered in snow and constantly had huge blizzards with gale-force winds. They sais they wanted conditions so snowy that you couldn't see two feet in front of you. Kagome thought them crazy for choosing such a place, but it was their lives to live.

Kuronue was the only one to not leave the castle grounds. He was killed trying to prevent some of the more determined people from getting to the armory. If it weren't for him, there was no doubt that the villagers would have overwhelmed the others. He was buried on the castle grounds near the barn, where he was rarely seen from and where he worked with his beloved animals.

The burial ceremony for the chimera was followed shortly after with the one for Youko. Kagome didn't even try to speak, nor did she cry; she just didn't have any more emotion to express. The beautifully carved, oak casket had depicted the events of Youko's lonely life, ending with Kagome meeting him and them falling in love. Nobody spoke as he was lowered into his final resting place, the same courtyard where Kagome and him had had their snow war. It seemed like ages ago.

Kagome moved into a little cottage with her brother. She worried many of the people who cared about her, hardly leaving her property and never going into the village. However, a few weeks after purchasing the small house, she announced that she would be setting up a school for the village children to learn how to read and write in. Her brother was one of her first students.

And so she taught and buried herself in her work. She refused to marry in the years to come, making a vow that she would wait until she could meet up with the siver haired fox prince that had captured her heart.

Her brother moved out and married a pretty young girl from a neighboring village. It was one of the few times that Kagome left her house to go someplace else. He took over their childhood home, expanding it when him and his wife had their fourth child. They made a point to visit 'Auntie Kags' as often as they could, always asking for her to tell them about the people of Tamashii castle.

Kagome ran her school for years and years, it being the only thing that kept her from falling into a deep depression. She had never fully gotten over the loss of Youko, even though she had cried herself to sleep countless times and knew that he was always on her mind. There were times when she thought of him, then thought up countless ways in which she could have saved him. But reality always came back in full swing, and the reality of the situation was that it was mostly her fault that Youko wasn't there. So she kept up with the school to keep herself going, for having a reason to stay.

And, until she couldn't move easily from her 'classroom' to her bedroom, she continued to teach the next generation about the beauty that could be found in the most unlikely places.

_

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_End Story

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Thank you for reading _The Truth of Beauty._  



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